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THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION’S WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE, GENEVA, 13 JUNE 2003

  June 12, 2003

The American and African regional organisations known as the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission of the Organization of American States (CITEL) and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), signed a Co-operation Agreement today at the World Radiocommunication Conference, organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Through this agreement the countries in the Americas and Africa agree to co-operate together and with the ITU with the purpose of developing stronger relations between them and the ITU, and for further improvement of the functioning of the ITU. Both parties will co-ordinate, as far as possible, their positions on matters of common interest and in particular will co-operate as far as possible in matters relating to the development of telecommunications in both regions by exchanging experience and relevant documentation.

"Closer coordination between regional organizations and the ITU can bring a tremendous level of healthy synergy that can only be of mutual benefit to our respective constituencies", said ITU’s Secretary-General Yoshio Utsumi at the signing ceremony. "The work of organizations such as ITU is ever more critical in today’s global environment, and the need for co-operation with regional organizations such as CITEL and CEPT is becoming increasingly important", he added.

Reference: CIT_0612EN