Cuba stresses the importance of ICT in world development

Cuba stressed on Wednesday the importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the economic and social development worldwide, during an intervention in a virtual meeting called by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

At the high-level ministerial round table of the ITU World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) forum in Geneva, Cuba's Deputy Minister of Communications Ernesto Rodriguez participated representing the country.

Rodriguez drew attention to the need of global access to ICTs to contribute to the promotion of knowledge and thereby eradicate poverty, illiteracy and social exclusion.

Likewise, he pointed out that Information and Communication Technologies must be used on the basis of strict respect for the United Nations Charter and International Law, and not as instruments to encourage war, interventionism, destabilization, subversion, unilateralism or terrorist actions.

'Today, cyber-attacks, cyber terrorism, violation of people's privacy, fake news, hate speech and other inappropriate uses of ICTs are growing more than ever. These practices do not contribute to the sustainable development of our peoples,' Rodriguez emphasized.

The deputy minister affirmed that such world is not the one humanity should aspire by 2030; therefore, it is essential to work for peace in cyberspace, respect for identity, integrity and people's honor to collective security, general welfare and public morality.

He also highlighted that Cuba works on the basis of a national plan for economic and social development that is the policy for the computerization of Cuban society in an integrative way and oriented towards sustainable development,' the deputy minister explained.

'ICTs are an essential tool for economic, political and social development, and their benefits must be extended every day to more peoples and nations of the world,' he concluded.