The 2010 Pacific Regional Information and Communication Technology Ministers' Meeting was marked with the signing of the Tonga Declaration in Nuku'alofa, on June 18, which sets a framework for action for integrated development of information and communications technology in the Pacific region.

In the declaration Ministers and officials from 18 Pacific counties and territories endorsed some of the recommendations that were presented to them following a two-days Pacific Regional ICT Officials' Meeting from June 16-17.

Organizations that made presentations at the Pacific Regional ICT Officials' Meeting were: the University of the South Pacific (USP), the Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec), the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), SPC Pacific Legislatures for Population and Governance PFPG Programme, SPC Regional Media Centre in partnership with Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and the Technical Centre for Agricultural Cooperation (CT), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNESCO, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), The World Bank (WB), and the Pacific Islands Chapter of the Internet Society (PICISOC).

Participants at the ICT Officials' Meeting brought to Nuku'alofa officials from American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, CNMI, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, France, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Observers included the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), ComSec, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), ICANN, InternetNZ, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), PICISOC, Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), PINA, Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA), UNDP, UNESCO, University of Hawaii, USP, and the WB.

Presentations were made by experts from various organizations, highlighting their ICT development programs.

The Pacific Regional ICT Officials' Meeting presented eight recommendations to the Pacific Regional ICT Ministers' Meeting that was held at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre on June 18, and some of these recommendations were incorporated into the Tonga Declaration, which was endorsed by representatives from 18 Pacific countries and territories, including five Cabinet Ministers, government officials and the High Commissioners for Australia and New Zealand to Tonga.

A highlight from the Tonga Declaration was the endorsement by the Pacific Regional ICT Ministers' Meeting of a Framework for Action on ICT for Development for the Pacific.

Action framework

The Framework outlines seven themes for action aimed at effectively utilizing ICT for sustainable development, governance, and improving the livelihood of Pacific communities.

The Framework will be supported by a set of guiding principles, an integrated approach for a joint action plan for the region based on 'many partners, one team implementation plan', and with monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Its purpose is to help guide future actions, policy direction, funding decisions and support the implementation of national policies and plans on:

2. ICT Policy, legislation and regulatory frameworks;

3. ICT Human Capacity Building;

4. ICT Infrastructure and Access;

5. International Connectivity;

6. Cyber Security and ICT Application; and

7. Financing, monitoring and evaluation.

• 1. Leadership, governance, coordination and partnerships;

Earlier, the Ministers' Meeting was officially opened by HRH Princess Pilolevu and the keynote addresses were made by Dr Eun-jun Kim, the head of the ITU regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, and Dr Jimmie Rodgers, Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.