At
the ITU Asia-Pacific Regional Development Forum
Phnom
Penh: 29 April 2013
3
- H.E. Dr. So Khun, Minister of Posts and
Telecommunications;
- H.E. Dr. Hamadoun Touré, Secretary General,
International Telecommunications Union;
- Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director, Telecommunication
Development Bureau/ITU;
- Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and
Gentlemen;
Today, I have the pleasure to participate with Excellencies,
Ladies, and Gentlemen in the opening of ITU
Asia-Pacific Regional Development Forum, under the theme “Asia-Pacific:
Smartly digital”, which is significant as the global economy become
increasingly digitalized. This forum is to be immediately followed by the ITU
Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the World Telecommunication
Development Conference 2014 to be held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
On behalf of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN,
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, I would like to express my warm
welcome and appreciation to ICT experts, distinguished guests, and participants
from Member States, International Organizations and private and public sectors,
for spending their valuable time attending this event. Taking this opportunity,
I also wish to highly value the efforts of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications,
in collaboration with the International Communication Union, for hosting this important
forum. This event is the evidence signifying the spirits of solidarity and
close cooperation among Member States and other participating countries in especially
the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs).
We are indeed honored to host the ITU Asia-Pacific Regional
Development Forum, which brings together experts and stakeholders of ICT domain
from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, creating a good opportunity for
participants to exchange views and to share knowledge and experiences, in order
to accelerate the building of ICT infrastructure and capacities for the region.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Cambodia has
been successful in its socio-economic development in the recent pasts, making us
moving towards lower middle income country in the very near future. Cambodia’s GDP increased substantially, reaching US$14.23
billion in 2012. Per capita income also grew significantly from US$229 in 1993
to US$990 in 2012 and is expected to exceed US$1,000 in 2013. Mainly due to the
sustained high economic growth, poverty rate dropped from 50% in 1994, to 20%
in 2012 and to an estimated 19% in 2013—a drop of more than 1 percentage point
per annum. After a slow growth in 2009, limited by the global financial and
economic crisis, the growth rate picked up again in 2010, touching 6% and
reached 7.3% in 2012.
The
development of information and communication technology (ICT) in the country, with
the coverage of the national media, both private and public, has expanded
rapidly, and the quality and effectiveness of the media has also improved
significantly. About 85 percent of Cambodians have access to informative,
educational and entertainment programs on TVs, radios, newspapers, and other
media.
Cambodia has successfully managed its transition into a vibrant
telecommunications market with the expansion and upgrade of its telecom
infrastructure. As pointed out by H.E Dr. SO Khun, Minister of Posts and
Telecommunications, Cambodia is one of the first countries having more mobile
phone subscriptions than those of fixed ones. It now boasts of 139.41% mobile
phone penetration. Currently, there are
eight mobile operators and two Long Term Evolution technology (LTE) test
licenses have been granted, making the telecommunications market vigorously
competitive, while it is challenging whether all can be competitive in terms of
returns on investment.
The IT and
communications capacity and skills of Cambodians, particularly our younger
generation, will be a major factor for the future success of Cambodia’s
socio-economic and cultural development, and our capacity to look outwards and
to compete successfully in our regional and global future.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today’s
forum attracts a large number of participants from ITU Member States,
international organizations, and private and public sectors. It provides a
unique platform for all participants and stakeholders to actively engage in
information and experience sharing for the improvements of telecom and ICT
sectors.
I am
indeed very pleased to learn that the ITU Asia-Pacific Regional Development Forum
will be focusing on topics that are of importance to developing countries in
general, to Cambodia in particular. These topics include the following:
·
Harnessing Digital Opportunity through Broadband with focus on the right infrastructure and
associated policies and regulations;
·
Digital Empowerment for All with focus on extending the benefits of ICTs
to all, particularly to people with special needs, the underprivileged and/or
marginalized in order to build a truly inclusive digital society; and
·
Creating
Smarter, Safer and Greener Society with focus on innovative approaches to harnessing the full potentials
of ICTs to improve people’s lives.
The Forum is indeed a very timely event and is relevant
for us in Cambodia. I think this is the case for other countries in the region
as well. The discussions will contribute to the on-going efforts to review and
update the Cambodia’s National Development Plans which are aimed at poverty alleviation
in line with the Millennium Development Goals agenda and the post 2015 agenda
on sustainable development. We will surely take the discussions and outcomes
from this Forum into account in this process. Through active interactions
between participants, I also hope that the Forum will produce the outcomes that
can pave the ways forward for the Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting
WTDC 14 (RPM-ASP) that will commence tomorrow.
Once again, I would like to take
this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to Ministry of
Posts and Telecommunications, in collaboration with the International
Telecommunication Union, for organizing this forum, which helps well prepare
for the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2014 to be held in Sharm
el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Finally, I wish Excellencies, Ladies, Gentlemen and
participants good health, great success, happiness and enjoyable stay, and
fruitful cultural experience for those who plan to further explore Cambodia.
I now declare the Opening of the ITU Asia-Pacific
Regional Development Forum.
Thank
you!