Welcoming Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka in his office, Mr. Houlin Zhao, the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recalled his previous visits to the “beautiful country”, long before he became the ITU Secretary-General. Referring to higher social indicators that Sri Lanka has achieved including in literacy, he complimented Sri Lanka for making considerable strides in the IT Sector. It was satisfying that Sri Lanka has been placed as an important hub in regional trade and economic networks, he said.
Ambassador Azeez apprised the Secretary-General on the policy initiatives by the Government to integrate ITU as a key element in its national endeavours to realize SDGs in Sri Lanka. He stressed that through the effective implementation of SDGs, supported by advances in IT, the Government of Sri Lanka has envisioned to enhance economic and development gains for all peoples. In this context he explained the policy initiatives taken by Sri Lanka to bring ICT into ‘Sri Lanka Sustainability Strategy 2030’ which is being finalized. He also recalled the ratification by the Government of Sri Lanka of the Budapest Convention on Cyber Crimes, which demonstrated Sri Lanka’s proactive involvement in promoting ICT within the country and abroad.
Ambassador Azeez expressed Sri Lanka’s full support and cooperation in making ICT a central element in the SDGs as ITU moved forward with implementation of the UN Development Agenda. He assured the Secretary-General that ITU’s efforts in forging greater partnership among Member States leading to a successful review of implementation of the UN Development Agenda in 2020,- five years after its adoption, would help further enhance ITU’s role and standing in the International Development Community.
Sri Lanka Permanent Mission
Geneva
21 May 2018
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