We, the key policy makers and regulators in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector of African Caribbean and Pacific states, meeting at the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States in Brussels, Belgium on the 20th and 21st of October 2011 at the first ACP-Europe ICT Roundtable organised jointly by the ACP Secretariat and the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), with the aim of assisting ACP states to rollout and utilise Broadband;

Having regard to the ACP-EU Cotonou Partnership Agreement, particularly to the Articles 23 and 43 with respect to ACP-EU development cooperation in technological infrastructure and services, including telecommunication systems and communication services and ICT and Information Society;

Having regard to the mandate of the CTO of being one of the pre-eminent international ICT organisations dedicated to promoting social and economic development by helping to bridge the digital divide;

Taking cognisance of the "ACP-Information and Communication Technologies Programme" aimed at providing “high-quality, globally-benchmarked but locally-relevant policy advice, training and related capacity building”;

Taking cognisance of the ACP Science and Technology Programme mandated to contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals 1, 7 and 8 by focusing on building and enhancing strong scientific and technological capacity;

Taking further cognisance of the CTO’s research and capacity building programmes aimed at assisting developing countries realise the potentials of ICTs for socio-economic development;

Understanding the developmental impact of Broadband as evidenced by the direct co-relationship between Broadband penetration and economic growth and further understanding the need to accelerate Broadband rollout in ACP states;

Being informed of the requisites for Broadband rollout in the specific subject areas of policy and regulation, spectrum management, investment promotion, Cybersecurity, environmental protection, technologies, applications and content;

Hereby reiterate our commitment to support and actively encourage the implementation of Broadband in our individual states in a manner that will benefit the widest possible population in order to bring the potentials of broader ICTs to bear on socio-economic development and to enable our people integrate within the Global Village.

Hereby also resolve to call on our international partners – such as the European Commission, the World Bank, the ITU, Regional Development Banks as well as the private sector – to work closely with ACP and CTO member countries to more effectively and efficiently ensure broadband access, availability, affordability and applications.

For more information, contact Dr John Kakule (ACP Secretariat) at kakule@acp.int