In the presence of Jordanian Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Basem Rousan, UN-ESCWA and Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) made public today a joint report on "Broadband for Development in the UN-ESCWA Region: Enhancing Access to ICT Services in a Global Knowledge Society" during a press conference at the Jordanian Ministry of Information and Communication Technology in Amman.
The first dimension of the report is an analysis of the status of broadband deployment in the UN-ESCWA region, substantiated by specific country case studies. The second is an assessment of lessons learnt from international experience, focusing on what has made broadband a success in other countries. The third dimension consists of an evaluation of technologies and business cases that may support broadband for socioeconomic development in the region, for which broadband availability is widely perceived as a powerful catalyst.
Yousef Nusseir, Chief of the ICT Division at UN-ESCWA, declared: "We are pleased to launch this joint report that highlights the vast development potential in the UN-ESCWA region as it moves towards the broadband revolution. It is meant to help stakeholders in the development of broadband in the region, including governments, regulators, operators, service providers and civil society at large.”
Thierry Albrand, Vice President of Digital Bridge for Alcatel-Lucent, added: "This report is the result of collaborative efforts between a worldwide leader in telecommunications, particularly in broadband equipment manufacturing, and a UN organization in charge of regional economic and social development. This collaboration fits perfectly our "broadband for all" vision and is an illustration of the multi–stakeholder approach advocated by the outcome of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) dedicated to reduce the digital divide and bring the benefits of information and communication technologies to all."
The report is available on the following websites:
http://www.escwa.org.lb/divisions/lib/Uploads/ESCWA_ALCATEL_2007.pdf
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/digitalbridge
About UN-ESCWA
UN-ESCWA is considered as the regional arm of the United Nations in the Western Asia Region. The objective of UN-ESCWA is to support economic and social cooperation among the countries of the region and promote the development process in order to achieve regional integration. This is of particular importance in view of the regional dimension that has become fundamental to dealing with issues of globalization. UN-ESCWA also aims to ensure that Western Asia interacts with other regions and to familiarize the outside world with the circumstances and needs of the countries in the region. UN-ESCWA works to strengthen regional integration and consider the issues and problems of the countries from a regional perspective.
As an instrument of the United Nations system, UN-ESCWA seeks to harmonize the policies of member countries in various sectors such as water, energy, industry, agriculture and technology, as well as to unify databases, statistics and information and prepare and distribute these to users. It also conducts analytical studies and implements field projects aimed at serving various social strata, including women and children, the elderly and those with special needs. UN-ESCWA organizes conferences, intergovernmental and expert group meetings, training workshops, lectures and study sessions. It also provides technical cooperation assistance, including advisory services, to the member countries. The activities of UN-ESCWA are coordinated with the divisions and main offices of the Headquarters of the United Nations, specialized agencies and regional and international organizations. More information can be found at: http://www.escwa.org.lb/
About Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) provides solutions that enable service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. As a leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications, and services, Alcatel-Lucent offers the end-to-end solutions that enable compelling communications services for people at home, at work and on the move. With operations in more than 130 countries, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with global reach. The company has the most experienced global services team in the industry, and one of the largest research, technology and innovation organizations in the telecommunications industry. Alcatel-Lucent achieved adjusted proforma revenues of Euro 18.3 billion in 2006 and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. [All figures exclude impact of activities to be transferred to Thales]. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the Internet: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com