International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is
worried that nearly two billion of the five billion mobile subscribers in the
world do not have access to internet connectivity and do not benefit from it.
ITU lamented that they are unable to enjoy the social
and economic opportunities of the internet.
MTN Group CEO, Rob Shuter, in his opening address
at the ongoing ITU Telecom World 2018, quoted the recent GSMA report that the
global mobile subscriber base is expected to increase by nearly one billion more
users in the next few years, having surpassed the five billion connected people
in 2017.
He however noted that despite significant mobile
internet penetration growth in recent years, many lack internet connectivity.
Shuter said great efforts were needed to heed the
call of organisations such as the ITU to bridge the digital divide and foster a
digital inclusive world.
According to him, “We cannot tackle the challenge of
bridging the digital divide without addressing barriers around coverage,
affordability and access of handsets and services as well as education of our
users. This endeavor is too complex to be addressed solely by governments or
just the operators or society. This needs to be a shared goal, and we must all
work together for greater global connectivity."
Shuter further said: "MTN’s theme for this year's ITU conference
is 'anything is possible when we are connected'. This stems from our company’s
core belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern, connected life.
Since my appointment as MTN Group CEO, I have been travelling to MTN’s
different operations and I have been able to see the impact of mobile
connectivity across our sub-Saharan Africa and Middle-Eastern markets. I have
also seen the real impact of mobile solutions, enabled by data, and how this is
changing the lives of people across all of our markets."
ITU HQTRS IN SWITZERLAND
In his remark, Secretary General of ITU, Mr. Houlin
Zhao, who spoke on the need to connect more people to the internet, said:
"ITU is creating different platforms to connect more people to the
internet. ITU is particularly interested in growing the global number of Small
and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by giving them the opportunity to showcase their
talents and benefit from the global connectivity initiative of ITU."
President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, in his
welcome address at the ongoing ITU Telecoms World 2018, commended ITU for
giving Africa the right to host ITU Telecoms World for the first time, and he
was particularly happy that South Africa became the first African country to
host ITU Telecoms World.
According to him, Africa is at the dawn of a
digital revolution that will reshape the way Africans work, the way they live
and the way they relate to each other.
"Technological change is proceeding at a pace
far greater than anything humanity has experienced before.
“It is through forums like this that we are able
not only to anticipate technological change, but also to harness it for the
advancement of humanity," Ramaphosa said.
He added: "It is through bodies like the ITU
that we craft a digital agenda for inclusivity, sustainability and development.
We have the means and the responsibility to direct the evolution of information
and communications technology (ICT) towards the achievement of a better life
for all the peoples of the world.
“It is therefore our task to ensure that the 4th
Industrial Revolution improves the human condition and that no one is left
behind.”
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