ITU International Telecommunications Union [to 19 March 2016]
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/index.aspx?lang=en#.VF8FYcl4WF8
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9 March 2016
UN Broadband Commission to government leaders: broadband can be your most powerful development catalyst
High-speed networks and services essential to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals
Dubai, 14 March 2016 – The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development’s 13th full meeting, held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, yesterday, reached consensus on the need for a new set of connectivity targets to help governments more effectively harness broadband networks and services to drive progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Commissioners agreed that broadband networks, services and applications have enormous potential to deliver dramatic results in education, health and socio-economic growth. A recent informal meeting of Commissioners at the World Economic Forum in Davos emphasized that connecting the unconnected and generating sufficient investment opportunities for the universal deployment of broadband networks, services and applications will be a key factor in achieving all 17 global goals.
Debate in Dubai around potential new targets focused on the importance of adding targets to measure the utilization of selected broadband-enabled public services, the choice of statistical indicators to accurately gauge broadband access at the country and community levels, as well as the choice of data sources and methodologies for generating accurate, reliable measurement. The Commission also agreed on the importance of developing National Digital Scorecards to measure national progress towards achieving broadband targets….