Mr Chairman,
It is an honor to be here with you, in Bucharest, for
the 2022 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference.
On behalf of the Israeli delegation, I would like to
thank the ITU, under the outstanding leadership of Secretary General Zhao, and the
government of Romania for its enormous efforts and wonderful hospitality. multumesc
pentru ospitalitatea calda.
The
decisions we will take in this conference will shape the work of the union and
will set the direction of digital transformation for years to come. Our actions
today will make tremendous impact on our societies and economies.
We are experiencing a period of rapid
technological changes with a significant impact on every aspect of our lives. In
the past two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of
connectivity and access to secure and reliable networks for everyone,
everywhere.
The State of Israel shares the ITU’s vision
for an information society where telecommunication technologies support social,
economic, and sustainable growth, and contribute to the implementation of the
2030 global agenda.
In addition, the telecommunications law and the regulatory framework in Israel were recently
amended in order to adapt to emerging
technologies. These amendments allow us to strengthen competition, reduce regulatory barriers and open the market for new stakeholders.
One of our top
priorities is ensuring reliable and affordable broadband access in rural areas,
including small villages and the minority communities. I am proud to say that Israel is on track to
deliver high-speed fiber-optic networks to every home and business by 2027, by
using an incentives outline and a universal fund to encourage the deployment of these networks in
rural areas. As a result, the rate of access to fiber optic networks has
increased rapidly, reaching roughly 60%
of households.
Digital skills
and tools are another priority for us. . Digital skills
are essential in today’s and tomorrow’s world. It is becoming increasingly
difficult to participate effectively in the economy, society. and the labor
force without digital skills.
To
this end, the Ministry of Communications, together with civil society, are
investing and constantly developing a variety of training programs, designed especially for vulnerable
groups in society, including older
persons and persons with disabilities, among others, especially in the periphery areas.
The State of
Israel is also investing resources in sharing its expertise with the
international community through
"MASHAV", Israel's Development Agency. Mashav has operated various programs to promote digital development
and empower individuals and communities through digital platforms. "MASHAV"
has continued this important work even during the global pandemic, using
existing digital connectivity. In recent months MASHAV has utilized
digital platforms to provide support and knowledge especially in health
practices, including mental health, to medical professionals in Ukraine.
Mr. Chairman,
We see
great importance in improving the Palestinians economic situation, including the
development of the communications sector. It is our mutual interest and we
all want to see progress made. In the past few months we held several Joint
Technical Committee meetings and we continue
to hold bilateral talks with the Ministry of Communications of the Palestinian
Authority, in order to implement a 4G and 5G networks in the Palestinian
territories.
Finally,
I wish all of us productive discussions on the important issues on our agenda, that
will contribute to the future architecture of the ICT world. Now more
than ever we need a strong, and
efficient Union. Israel stands ready to work with all of you for the success of
this Plenipotentiary.
We were
celebrating in the last few days the Jewish New Year. Let me share with you our
good wishes and wish you all a very happy, healthy, fruitful year!
Thank you Mr. Chairman.