Proceedings of the Workshop - United Nations Office for Outer ...

72 EXPANDING GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICEStimes thereafter by successive plenipotentiaryconferences, until it underwent fundamentalreorganisation in 1992, when the present constitutionalstructure was adopted.24 This, inter alia, involved thedivision of the ITU Convention into a Constitution(cited CS) and a Convention (cited CV), the formercontaining provisions less likely to require lateramendment. However, the major innovation of 1992was the creation of three Sectors, Development,Standardisation and Radiocommunication, with thecompetence indicated by their titles, each served by aBureau headed by a Director elected by thePlenipotentiary Conference. Minor revisions to the ITUwere made in 1994 at Kyoto,25 and further amendmentsat Minneapolis in 1998.26The ITU has done well, and should becongratulated for that. It has adopted a lesscumbersome way of doing business in order to copewith modem conditions. The four year cycle of sectoralmeetings within the four year cycle of plenipotentiariesis bedding in, though it seems that on occasion for somematters that may be too tight a timetable. Non-stateentities (businesses) have been given easier access toITU study groups and the like by the 1998 MinneapolisPlenipotentiary Conference. But, looking to the futureof space telecommunications (and indeed to other areasof ITU responsibilities) there are some matters whichshould be given fresh consideration. Further, as we willcome to in due course, there arguably is a case for theextension of ITU competence and responsibilities. Westart with several matters of structure and functioning.Analysis' Annales d'Etudes Internationales, 1165-87.24 Constitution and Convention of the InternationalTelecommunication Union: Final Acts of the AdditionalPlenipotentiary Conference, Geneva 1992 (Geneva: ITU, 1993).25 Final Acts of the Plenipotentiary Conference of theInternational Telecommunication Union, Kyoto, 1992 (Geneva:ITU, 1992).26Final Acts of the Plenipotentiary Conference of theInternational Telecommunication Union, Minneapolis, 1998(Geneva: ITU, 1999).The ITU and DevelopmentAs noted above, the reorganisation of the ITU in 1992produced the Development Sector. AlthoughDevelopment had been a matter of great interest tocertain members of the ITU,27 a question must be askedwhether Development is a matter which should figure tothe extent that it does within the ITU structure. TheITU functions as a technical organisation, facilitatingthe efficient and equitable use of telecommunications.Certainly the technical development oftelecommunications is in the interests of the wholeworld.28 However, there is a strong argument that thereare other UN agencies which are better adapted todealing with the rather separate matter of the actualdevelopment of telecommunications facilities indeveloping countries. To have grafted thatresponsibility into the ITU has not been wise. Certainlythe budget for Development is closely controlled and itis separate from that for other ITU activities, but thathas served merely to stunt what could accomplishedwere telecommunications development included in theportfolio of another international organisation whosepurpose and skill generally is the fostering ofdevelopment. The development of telecommunicationswould be better incorporated within other decisions andefforts towards ‘development’ seen in a broadercontext.The Radio Regulations BoardOne result of the restructuring of the ITU in 1992 wasthat the former five member full-time InternationalFrequency Registration Board disappeared. Many ofits functions are the responsibility of the Bureau of thenew Radiocommunications Sector under its Director.Other functions are the responsibility of a part-timeRadio Regulations Board (RRB), originally nine in27 The old International Frequency Registration Board wasactive in development matters, by running training courses etc.for the officials of many new states.28 Cf. The Missing Link' (the Report of the MaitlandCommission, (Geneva: ITU, 1985), and The Report of theSecretary General’s Advisory Group on the ChangingTelecommunications Environment', (the Report of the HansenCommittee)(Geneva: ITU, 1989).