{"id":17883,"date":"2022-09-30T07:35:27","date_gmt":"2022-09-30T07:35:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pp.itu.int\/?post_type=itu_policy_statement&p=17883"},"modified":"2022-10-10T07:46:21","modified_gmt":"2022-10-10T07:46:21","slug":"abulbaset-albaour-libya","status":"publish","type":"itu_policy_statement","link":"https:\/\/pp.itu.int\/2022\/ru\/itu_policy_statements\/abulbaset-albaour-libya\/","title":{"rendered":"General Authority for Communications and Informatics, Libya"},"content":{"rendered":"
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His Excellency Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General
Excellencies, Distinguished Colleagues
Ladies and Gentlemen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Our delegation brings you greetings from the President and people of Liberia and take this time to congratulate the President and People of the Republic of Romania on this unique occasion and wonderful display of hard work in hosting the 2022 Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-22). We also take this time to laud the efforts of His Excellency Secretary Zhao in amalgamating ICT leaders, researchers, academicians, practitioners, technicians and others in one environment to discuss issues relevant to building a better digital future for all, is without any uncertainty, very laudable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Liberia\u2019s ICT sector is playing a critical role in accelerating the transformation of our country\u2019s economic stature from one of poverty into a middle-income nation. The Government has been focused on the implementation outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society at national level, at the same time working towards and achieving all internationally agreed Development Goals including Vision 2030. As part of this effort, Liberia gives due regard to the role of ICT, and its pledge to the ICT sector is best underscored by the commitment demonstrated through the support it provides to the sector.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Liberia has also recognized the ICT sector as an enabler of social and economic development, thereby prompting the need to update the 2010 policy to make it relevant to the current exigencies of the State, and in support of the ICT objectives of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) 2018-2023. In this respect, the 2019-2024 ICT Policy was adopted by the cabinet to update the 2010 policy which draws on emerging trends in the ICT sector. Particularly the rise of convergence technology, digital broadcasting, E- services, new technologies and provision of universal access to boost social inclusion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Additionally, the Government of Liberia being cognizant of the need to provide the necessary ICT infrastructure have made investments in ensuring last mile connectivity. The connection to the Africa Coast to Europe submarine optical fiber cable for broadband connectivity is evidence of<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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this. Currently a private company (Csquared) a wholesale infrastructure provider with 180+ Kms of metro fiber in Monrovia, is providing services to all MNOs, ISPs. The Government of Liberia has plans to build over 350 kilometers of fiber backbone from Monrovia to the border of Guinea and Ivory Coast. Liberia is also working with the Economy Community of West Africans States on the Amilcar Cabral Sub-sea Cable Project Broadband development within the territories of concerned countries (The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Liberia). Coincidentally, the same named countries have only one cable landing station connecting them to the ACE submarine cable. The proposed Amilcar Cabral Cable includes a main trunk which will run from Praia in Cabo Verde to Monrovia in Liberia, with three branching units to Guinea Bissau, Guinea and Sierra Leone and two stubs for future expansion to the North and South respectively. Those efforts are being made to ensure that last mile connectivity is provided to the consumers and provide much needed and guaranteed redundancy in international connectivity for our country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Your Excellencies, the era of technology is here and it cannot be ignored. The development of every country is now linked to how much the country consumes ICT. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, has a responsibility to develop policies and standards that will guide the sector. In light of this, I am pleased to inform this body that the Government of Liberia has begun identifying innovative ways to utilize the bandwidth provide by the ACE optical fiber cable for the integration ICTs, in all sectors to accelerate the realization of a modern Liberia that will be a knowledge-based economy. Our Cybercrime Act of 2021 is currently at the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia to be enacted into Law. The Cybercrime Act seeks to provide for the prohibition, prevention, detection, response and prosecution of Cybercrimes in Liberia. Not only that, the Data Protection Act is also in process to be submitted to the Executive for onward submission to the National Legislature for enactment into Law. The Data Protection Law when enacted will provide a legal framework of protection for privacy of data relating to the collection, processing, transmission, storage, and use of personal data without prejudice to the general interest of the State. However, there remains financial difficulties that are associated with what we do in the ICT Sector. Liberia remains committed to enhance the diffusion of ICTs in all areas to deliver efficient public service to all customers of public administration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Our government understands the use of ICT for sustainable development and growth cannot be overemphasized. This is why the Government continues to put in place measures that will ensure<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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all of its goals are met. For example the Government has approved a program called \u201cSchool Connect\u201d <\/strong>which is intended to provide internet services to our schools around the country. In addition, many universities are developing programs that incorporate technological advances and trends.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Finally, the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications shall continue to embark on policy reforms, place emphasis on public-private sector partnership, as part of the overall government plan. I am convinced that with the spirit of partnership in the sector, achieving our ICT goals as a country will be a success. I cannot overemphasize the role ICTs has played and continues to play in Liberia\u2019s path to development. Sectors such as finance, health, education, agriculture and the Government have embraced technology for management of information, enhancement of service delivery to reach the public more effectively, efficiently and at affordable costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Most importantly Your Excellency, as you are aware, the Government of Liberia begun its Universal Access Program few years ago, let me inform you of steady progress but with huge financial challenges. The Government received some funding from multilateral partners a few years back and has begun the implementing the program. Pilot projects were successful and actual implementation is ongoing, however, this is expected to be a just a drop of water in the dessert of No Connection\u201d. We therefore urge that ITU invest more in the area of Universal Access if more is to be done for rural inhabitants in the broader connectivity for all. The need across the landscape of Liberia is very much real and there is no other way to put it but to describe it as such.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Let me end by reminding you of Liberia\u2019s unwavering commitment toward setting ICT as an enabler tool serving sustainable development goals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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I thank you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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