Annual Meeting of the Arab Internet Governance Forum Opens | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

UN Undersecretary-General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf today said that good internet governance, as good governance in general, was an important tool to achieve sustainable development goals in all of its aspects. Utilized wisely, information and communication technologies could contribute in the fight against poverty, unemployment and social exclusion. They could also create decent job opportunities for youth, women and marginalized groups in any community. The optimal use of technology should be ensured for this end and to spread knowledge and benefits.

Arab countries have set strategies and policies that are essential to put ICT into practice, and have employed advanced means in e-government, cyber legislations and smart services. Nevertheless, a lot of work remains to be done in order to put these policies and strategies into implementation.

Khalaf was speaking at the opening of the third Annual Meeting of the Arab Internet Governance Forum (AIGF-III), which closes on Thursday 27 November, at the Movenpick Hotel, Beirut. Also speaking at the opening session were Chief of the ICT Policies Section at ESCWA Ayman El-Sherbiny, Director of Telecom Planning and Services at the Egyptian National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) Christine Arida, who also delivered the statement of NTRA Executive President Hisham Alayli, Director General of Ogero Telecom Abdulmunim Youssef, Director of the ESCWA Technology for Development Division Haidar Fraihat, Minister of State for Administrative Reform Nabil DeFreige, and Lebanese Minister of Telecommunications Boutros Harb.

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