Indonesia Offers Reciprocal Cooperation at ITU: Minister

Jakarta: The Indonesian government has offered reciprocal cooperation to representatives of partner countries in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which would involve providing mutual support, especially in international activities.  
 
“We need to collaborate with ITU members so that Indonesia is trusted to represent Region E — Asia and Australasia at the ITU Council,” said Minister of Communications and Informatics, Johnny G. Plate, in a statement released here on Thursday.
 
Indonesia is actively participating and contributing as much as possible at all international forums, including those held by the ITU, to achieve the goal of connecting the unconnected, he added.

Indonesia is also actively pushing transparency in work processes, accountability in financing, and the recruitment of external auditors at ITU. Minister Plate emphasized that Indonesia is actively inviting all member countries to consider fair geographical representation.
 
“We also emphasize the importance of providing equal opportunities for all member countries to contribute. ITU acts as the United Nations Specialized Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT),” he said.
 
The Indonesian government has nominated Dr. Meiditomo Sutyarjoko as a member of the Radio Regulatory Board (RRB). Indonesia’s action at ITU has been on for a long time, with the nation being a member of the ITU Council since 1988.
 
During its membership of the ITU, Indonesia proposed five additional seats for Council Regions A, D, and E. The proposal was adopted at the 2010 Plenipotentiary Conference.
 
Indonesia also initiated a proposal for restructuring ITU so that the organization can run more effectively and efficiently. The proposal received full support and was adopted at the 1992 Plenipotentiary Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
 
“Indonesia has also taken the lead in ensuring that the new framework and methodologies are applied in the ITU Index that emphasizes fair, transparent, and inclusive principles for all ITU member countries, especially for developing countries with various levels of information and communication technology (ICT) development,” said Plate.
 
The minister assured that Indonesia will continue to contribute to ITU, among others by encouraging the empowerment of women at the union. Women need to be given more access to opportunities, more space, and more avenues to grow and become involved in ITU’s work, he added.

 

(WAH)