PALIKIR, Pohnpei (PIF Secretariat/FSMIS) — The Federated States of Micronesia joined the recent Pacific Islands Forum Communications Ministers meeting in Suva to discuss telecommunications in the Pacific.
FSM Transportation, Communications and Infrastructure Secretary Akillino H. Susaia and his delegation attended the high-level meeting to review the 1999 Forum Communications Action Plan and to considered policy issues associated with information and communications technologies in the Pacific.
Susaia said the recommendations adopted by the communications ministers included:
• regional cooperation in telecommunication technologies;
• policy formulation;
• legal and regulatory frameworks;
• development of ICT strategies at the national and regional levels.
The resounding message of the telecommunications meeting was to provide the Pacific islands with affordable access to the influx of information technologies. Working with the theme “ICT for Every Pacific Islander,” the communications ministers agreed to the following issues:
• On cooperation, the ministers agreed that strong networking is required to ensure all stakeholders remain up-to-date on technologies. Members were requested to consider regular country participation in the annual technical meetings. They were also asked to take advantage of the resources of the CROP ICT Working Group and PITA to assist with national ICT issues and developments.
• On legal and regulatory frameworks, the ministers directed that information on the Pacific Governance Project be forwarded to responsible national organizations to promote cross-sectoral participation in the development of a national telecommunications sector policy. The meeting supported the formation of national teams to work with their delegated national representative on the Pacific Governance Project.
• On tariff issues, the ministers agreed to consider tariff re-balancing in collaboration with other relevant ministries, bearing in mind the burden of cross-subsidization on some sectors but also the desire to provide universal access. Carriers would be encouraged to explain the case behind current and proposed tariff regimes when considering changes through regulation.
• On the extension of the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement to trade in services, the ministers agreed to ensure that the telecommunications and ICT sectors be represented in national trade negotiations teams to ensure representation of telecommunications issues.
• On international settlements and Internet charging, the ministers agreed to encourage service providers and industry stakeholders to make data available to the PITA Working Group; support joint regional representations on these issues at every opportunity. The ministers agreed that the Forum Secretariat, in collaboration with PITA, submit an information paper on international settlements and Internet charging to the Forum.
• On regional cooperation in communication regulation, the ministers agreed to information exchange, through PITA as the clearinghouse, and that this mechanism also be used to work toward harmonization of national legislation and regulations.
