The ITU and Unesco have established a top-level Broadband Commission for Digital Development. The entity will define strategies for accelerating broadband rollout worldwide and analyse applications that could see broadband networks improve the delivery of social services, from healthcare to education, environmental management and safety. The Commission will comprise 30 leaders from across a wide range of business and social sectors. The Broadband Commision will be co-chaired by Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Carlos Slim Helu, chairman of Grupo Carso. ITU secretary-general Hamadoun Toure and Unesco director-general Irina Bokova will serve as joint vice chairs. The Commission will meet in Geneva at mid-2010 and deliver its findings to the UN secretary-general in September. In additon to expert input from the Commissioners, there will be analysis of the challenges and opportunities in deploying broadband in nations at all stages of economic development, with practical recommendations on the possible routes towards the goal of high-speed networks at affordable prices.
