Message from the Secretary-General of the United Nations

Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to the Government of Finland for hosting the Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency Telecommunications. Thank you also to all participating Member States for their support to this important task.

Humanitarian Work is one of the most important, but also one of the most difficult tasks of the United Nations. Human suffering cannot be measured in figures, and its dimensions often surpass our imagination, even at a time when news about natural and other disasters reaches every corner of the globe in next to real time.

An appropriate response depends upon the timely availability of accurate data from the often remote and inaccessible sites of crises. From the mobilization of assistance to the logistics chain, which will carry assistance to the intended beneficiaries, reliable telecommunications links are indispensable. Today's telecommunication industry provides us with a multitude of equipment and services, but national regulatory barriers still hinder the full use of these valuable tools.

It will be in the hands of the delegations at ICET-98 to change this. In a world where globalization and deregulation are the key words in telecommunication policy, and where humanitarian assistance is needed more and more, this Conference may well be a milestone in two ways: for all partners in humanitarian assistance, it will enhance the effectiveness of their work. For the telecommunications sector, it will open new horizons for the application of available technology, particularly in regions which do not, so far, fully benefit from existing possibilities. In addition, and as a major concern, the Conference will help to improve the safety and security of all those who often risk their lives in the pursuit of the most noble of our mandates: the prevention and, where such is not possible, the alleviation of human suffering caused by disasters and emergencies.

May I wish ICET-98 and its participants much success.

Kofi A. ANNAN
Secretary-General
of the United Nations