Developing Telecoms | Travel banned Robert Mugabe attends ITU World Telecom 2009

24 May 2012

Events

LATEST NEWS:

WACS launch will boost capacity – and connectivity – in South Africa Lat Am businesses booming as Europe lags behind for international operators 100G technology makes its debut in Central America Free conference calling now available in Israel Internet-free mobile Facebook, email and online chat apps platform launches... Indian telco giant taking steps into Brazil Green power solutions provider spreads into South Asia Cable agreement to bolster international connectivity in Iraq Lat Am giant looks to Netherlands to boost European footprint CSP unifying mediation systems across four Central American countries Thai operator secures wireless distribution agreement Financial services project reaching out to millions of Africans Fibre investment on the way in Algeria Android tablets gaining popularity in Southeast Asia Bharti seeking JV takeover as profits slide How an Alternative Approach to SIM Card Provisioning Helps Operators Cure t... Solar-powered learning initiative takes off in Uganda GSMA voices criticism of Indian licensing proposals Enhanced mobile broadband deploying across three Baltic countries Market developments lay the foundation for future growth in Iraq India Feels More Shockwaves from the So-called ‘2G Scandal' Overpriced broadband faces fibre challenge in Angola First commercial 4G services go live in Croatia VimpelCom sells Vietnamese assets TRAI advocates new operators entering 2G auctions Romania’s first MVNE launching imminently Indian tax change could provoke legal action from Vodafone Mobile growth slows in Iran as penetration reaches saturation point Thailand close to finalising 3G auction process Internet Exchange Points Spur Internet Growth in Emerging Markets Incoming fibre boosts investment prospects for Burundi 3G on the way in Djibouti, but competition is required Fibre, not privatisation, could be the answer for Africa’s fixed-line opera...

Travel banned Robert Mugabe attends ITU World Telecom 2009

Friday, 09 October 2009 10:14 | Alec Barton

Attention: open in a new window.

Listed in the VIPs due to attend ITU World Telecom 2009 was one Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe. True to form and keeping everyone guessing to the end the elderly president turned up only on Wednesday – he had been pre-occupied with the state opening of parliament in Harare the previous day.

Mugabe addressed the ITU council of ministers, covering the topics of education and natural disasters in Zimbabwe. He later toured the show floor accompanied by ITU deputy secretary general Hou Lin Zhao and a large number of security personnel.

Dr Hamadoun Toure, ITU Secretary General later defended the decision to invite Mugabe, who is banned from travelling to many countries including Switzerland, on Swiss radio. He said that the need for inclusivity and to ensure that Zimbabwean people are not excluded from their digital rights was a higher priority than any political considerations about the Mugabe regime.

Mr Toure also suggested that increased connectivity would help the Zimbabwean people to voice their feeling about Mugabe. With 3 telephone lines per 100 people and an effective ban on internet access it is hard to see how that could occur.

It is questionable whether Mugabe’s presence does anything to promote a positive image of the ITU.

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites

Readers Comments (3)

|2009-10-13 18:17:23 Mick Blake - Mugabe at ITU

I wish I had been at ITU. I would have assassinated the murdering scum.

|2009-10-21 07:52:53 Rhonda Abramson - Mugabe at ITU

His very presence legitimized him. It was shameful that he was allowed to attend. I saw his entourage and it sickened me. The Zimbabwean people will not benefit from this,sadly. And his regime will continue along its murderous ways.

|2009-10-21 08:11:55 J.L. Fullsack - ITU discredited

When the Secretary general of the ITU is confusing the Zimbabwean dictator with the Zimbabwean people his attitude discredits the ITU as a whole for a lot of people all over the world, especially also in Africa.

When you add the financial disaster of World Telecom 2009 to the disrespect for International conventions mentioned above, you feel that it is highest time for governments -who are ITU Members and pay a lot for it- to react accordingly.