The 13th meeting of the ITSO Advisory Committee (IAC) was held last 16-17 November in Washington and began with the welcoming of new members (Czech Republic, Cameroon, Senegal and Tanzania).
The main subject of the meeting was the start of debate about the ITSO’s future after 18 July 2013, when the organisation may theoretically disband if two thirds of the Assembly of Parties so decide. The preliminary document prepared by the director-general (DG) to that end (“Roadmap about the Future of the ITSO Agreement”) was generally well received by the Parties.
The document envisages five studies to be carried out next year, which should be analysed and approved at the first two Committee meetings by November 2011, namely:
- “Legal Analysis regarding article XXI of the ITSO Agreement and Article 14 of the Public Services Agreement”;
- “Evolution of the “Common Heritage” – 2001-2010”;
- “Valuation of Intelsat Common Heritage Orbital Locations”;
- “Draft of the Evolution of the satellite environment since 2001 – Implications for ITSO”;
- “Identification of Steps and actions to be taken in the event the Agreement is to be terminated”.
France proposed that the studies should include an overall analysis of communications sector evolution, including mobile networks and underwater cables, besides satellite communications. The USA corroborated that position and asked to have access to the studies and their authors before they are completed, expressing doubts about their need.
The DG should also send the first studies to the Parties before the end of December, three months before the next Committee meeting. The aim is for the next Assembly of Parties, in 2012, to be able to discuss and decide to approve a recommendation from the IAC and DG on whether or not to continue ITSO after the aforementioned date.
The DG also proposed that the IAC should continue to be chaired by Steve Lett (USA) and that the vice-chair should be assumed by Mamadou Ba (Senegal), to which the Committee agreed.
Among the other issues discussed were the results implemented in financial year 2010, which ended at the end of the first half of the year and corresponds to the first year of the new DG’s term. The Director reported that 61,009 dollars were applied to establish a reserve fund, whose account was opened in August 2010 after the 34th AP held the previous June. According to a decision adopted at that AP, the DG can use up to 80 percent of that fund in actions in favour of members, such as capacity-building initiatives.
Per an agreement signed last July in London, a partnership was established between ITSO and the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation (CTO), envisaging that the two organisations will co-operate in ICT and development matters. ITSO will take part in “ICT for Development” actions, including training in CTO programmes such as “Connecting Rural Communities” (CRC) conferences in Africa and Asia, e-Gov Africa and Asia-Pacific forums. Also planned are two courses on satellite communications, one for politicians and sector regulators and the other for operators; ITSO is to cover the trainers’ expenses.
