MCIT-Celebrates World Telecommunication & Information Society Day (WTISD) - 2014

The Ministry of Communications & Information Technology (MCIT) celebrated the World Telecommunications and Information Society on Monday May 18, 2014 in Kabul to mark the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865 and the creation of the ITU.”Broadband for sustainable development” Was the theme of 2014. The event that took place on the occasion was attended by the Minister of MCIT, high level state profiles, members of Parliament, heads of private communication companies, leadership of chamber of commerce and mass media. World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated annually since 1969, marking the founding of ITU and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865.

 The purpose of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divice

At the beginning Amirzai Sangin Minister of MCIT welcomed the guests and participants. Then he delivered an informative, academic and comprehensive speech about the importance of the Day and said:” the reason of celebrating of the day is the WTISD member countries provide their people with information about the importance of mentioned day in order to get outreach and give Information to their people to get better use of IT in their lives”. Considering the theme of World telecommunication day 2014, which is " Broadband for Sustainable Development” brings together public and private sectors, emerging markets and industry investors to explore the further development of the ICT sector like no other event.  

Minister Sangin also spoke about the running programs and achievements of MCIT over the past 12 years in Afghanistan. He said we traversed the path in ten years, which the other nations have done it in fifty years. We started everything from zero and now our country stands along with the advanced countries and today's Afghanistan is a modern country with cell-phones. He said we are, converted analog TV system into digital, developed program of urban address system; currently we have 89 TV channels 220 Radio stations; our country has the pride of launching satellite; currently we use 3G technology and we are expecting to bring 4G, 2.2 billion dollars are invested and 140000 people are provided occupations; our annual income to the government is over 200 million dollars; we have delivered 1,300,034,000 dollars to the state treasury so far. He mentioned that there are areas, which are not provided effectively and sufficient telephone and internet services yet, the preventing problem on our way is security issues; and I am confident we will overcome these problems by the grace of Allah Almighty and contributions of the people.

Then the message of secretary general of the ITU Mr. Hamadan Touré was presented to the audience director of plan and policy of MCIT Mr. Azizurahman Safi.

After that, Member of Parliament H.E Sahib Khan We fully support and appreciate the achievements of MCIT in field of Communications and Information Technology and will do it in the future too. He asked the representative of telecommunication networks to offer suitable and inexpensive rate, which is more advanced and facilitator to the people of Afghanistan.
Then the chairman of Afghan Chamber of Commerce also congratulated the day and mentioned the reason of ICT development in Afghanistan. He said: demand of the market, transparency; proper and anticorruption policy in MCIT are the main reason.

Then Deputy Minister of Ministry of Culture and Information Ghulam Nabi Farahi congratulate the Day and said that, this day is a common Day between MCIT and Ministry of Culture and Information  and stressed we should avoid deviation from information technology

Then eng. Gul Ahmad Rastman director of Afghan Telecom, representative of Afghan Wireless Company congratulated the Day and mentioned the importance and vital role of the broadband in the daily activities of people.