“We are at a crossroad, where the global society faces two choices; either expanding the Internet in other languages and allowing the multilingualization to take place or setting English as the standard language of the Internet,” according to Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Vice-Chairman of the United Nations ICT Task Force, and Chair of Commission on E-Business, Information Technologies and Telecoms, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
Speaking at the eleventh United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XI), which was held at the Anhembi Conference Center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from 13 to 18 June 2004, Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh outlined the relevant elements in the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Plan of Action.
The WSIS Plan of Action considers the implementation of national e-strategies as one of the key areas for policy action to advance the information society in developing countries. It also calls for action to promote development-oriented ICT applications for all, in particular the use of ICT by SMEs to foster innovation, realize gains in productivity, reduce transaction costs and fight against poverty.
This year’s conference, enhancing coherence between national development strategies and global economic processes towards economic growth and development, particularly of developing countries, concentrated on several issues such as: trade and poverty, development strategies in a globalizing world economy; building productive capacity and international competitiveness; assuring development gains from the international trading system and trade negotiations and many others.
Representatives from the World Bank, international organizations, business sector and developing countries took part in the event.