INTER-AMERICAN TELECOMMUNICATION COMMISSION (CITEL)

1. INTER-AMERICAN TELECOMMUNICATION COMMISSION (CITEL) Reducing the digital gap in the Americas. www.citel.oas.org

2. About CITEL CITEL’s impact on the citizens of the Americas Overview of CITEL’s budget Conclusions 2

3. COM/CITEL COM/CITEL Assembly Planning, administration, management Planning, administration, management Defines objectives and strategic lines CITEL OAS advisory body on telecommunications and information and communications technologies (ICTs) COM/CITEL Secretariat Administrative functions and representation PCC.I PCC.II Policy, Regulation, Technology, Development Efficient use of spectrum and satellite orbits 3

4. CITEL’s added value: its intergovernmental status, with the technological support of the telecommunications / ICT industry • All OAS member states • More than 100 private sector associates • International andregional telecommunications organizations, such as the ITU 4

5. CITEL: Maximizing the social impact of ICTs • Development of inter-American proposals for the conferences and assemblies of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to safeguard the region’s interests. • Design and implementation of public policies to promote the use of ICTs and maximize the economic and social impact of technology to attain the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. • Large-scale digital training to help raise education quality in the Americas and develop talents for the new digital economy. 5

6. CITEL • Harmonization and expansion of the use, coverage, and penetration of ICTs, in particular the deployment of broadband. • Development of digital capacities, technical cooperation, and transfers of technology. • Implementation of the 2030 ICT Alliance for the Americas and specific digital education products that companies in the ICT sector have given to CITEL following the OAS General Assembly in June 2016: Telefónica, CISCO, Millicom International, and América Móvil. 6

7. CITEL IMPORTANCE OF CITEL FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE AMERICAS Today’s reality is CONNECTIVITY! • ICT infrastructure has attracted a great deal of investment and has generated significant tax revenue and employment opportunities in developing countries (World Bank) • ICTs increase accountability and transform and expand services in underprivileged areas (World Bank) • Sustainable long-term growth will only be achieved with the digitalization of the economy (ECLAC) • Technology impacts GDP growth, the level of schooling in the general population, and improvements in employment (CAF) 7

8. Today’s reality is CONNECTIVITY! • Fosters and strengthens policies and regulatory frameworks that encourage competition, investment, innovation, quality, users’ rights, and public-private partnerships. • Promotes the creation of digital capacities and relevant local contents. • Implements projects for digital inclusion, with gender awareness and paying particular attention to underprivileged, remote, or inaccessible populations, people with disabilities, senior citizens, and other similar groups, so that ICTs can facilitate their social inclusion. 8

9. OVERVIEW OF CITEL’S BUDGET EVOLUTION OF CITEL’S STAFF RF: Staff funded by the Regular Fund SF: Staff funded by Specific Funds 9

10. OVERVIEW OF CITEL’S BUDGET EVOLUTION OF CITEL’S BUDGET BY EXPENDITURE TYPE Non-personnel Personnel 10

11. OVERVIEW OF CITEL’S BUDGET CITEL’S BUDGET BY FUNDING SOURCE 11

12. CONCLUSIONS • CITEL’s intergovernmental status must be maintained. • CITEL’s staff numbers have been falling, which fails to reflect the countries’ connectivity needs and interests. • CITEL’s current budget fails to reflect the importance of ICTs and connectivity in the world and in the Americas. 12

13. THANK YOU OSCAR LEÓN – Executive Secretary Inter-American Telecommunication Commission of the OAS – CITEL oleon@oas.org www.citel.oas.org www.citel.oas.org