ICT for Development Community meets in Geneva

The FCT and the supervisory body participated in the 2016 edition of the WSIS – World Summit on Information Society, which runs until May 6 in Geneva, Switzerland. This global platform brings together stakeholders – governments, the private sector, technical and academic communities, civil society, and international organizations – on an annual basis to share best practices and discuss policies related to information and communication technologies, the digital economy, and society. On the agenda is the discussion on the implementation of the action lines of the UN World Summit on the Information Society for the sustainable development of nations.

Portugal's position in the international context of the Information Society was presented by the Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor, during the High-Level Policy Session held on May 3, dedicated to the themes of Knowledge Societies, Capacity Building, and Digital Learning.

The Minister reaffirmed that Portugal is committed to strengthening investment in science, investing in training and developing the digital skills of its human capital, and strengthening international academic cooperation.

In addition to the High-Level Political Sessions, the Agenda included a series of thematic workshops focusing on digital skills and training, online child protection, gender equality, local innovation, ICT and sustainable development, fragmentation, and Internet security, among others.

The organization of the 2016 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS 2016) is the responsibility of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Image credits: ©ITU/I.Wood