MUSCAT — The Sultanate, represented by the Information Technology Authority (ITA), will participate in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2012 in Geneva which is due to begin tomorrow and last till Friday. Hosted by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the ITA will participate in a number of activities at the 2012 WSIS Forum. WSIS 2012 is the largest annual gathering of the world’s ‘ICT for development’ community, including UN agencies, governments and civil society and ICT industry representatives.
The Sultanate's delegation to this Forum is led by Dr Salim bin Sultan al Ruzaiqi, CEO of ITA, along with representatives from Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and Muscat Municipality who will all take part in the official opening of the forum alongside high-level dignitaries from around the world.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) evolved as a means of recognising the importance of the revolution in ICTs as a means of shaping the future of the world. World leaders decided that a global vision and a global dialogue were needed to build the framework of an all-inclusive and equitable Information Society. Thus, WSIS was born. The goal of WSIS is to achieve a common vision, desire and commitment to build a citizen-centric, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society where everyone can access, utilise and share information.
The annual WSIS Forum builds upon the tradition of annual follow-up meetings for the implementation of WSIS outcomes at a global and country-level, which are normally scheduled in May, to coincide with celebrations of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) to mark ITU’s founding in 1865. The Forum provides opportunities to network and participate in multi-stakeholder discussions and consultations on WSIS implementation. These include meetings for facilitators, thematic workshops and exchanges on critical issues.
Presenting Oman in such a prominent setting as the WSIS Forum 2012, held at the ITU headquarters in Geneva, gives credence to Oman’s focus and great attention paid to its implementation of the WSIS Action Lines. It also gives the sultanate an opportunity to share its achievements with respect to harnessing ICTs in the world arena, which include: building the capacity of women and girls in the IT field; employing technology in the fields of education, health and economy; and shifting towards e-communities of knowledge. The Sultanate will also showcase at the Forum some of its successful ICT pilot initiatives.
