 Every innovation starts life as an idea. It forms as a notion, a possibility, reviewing old ways and trying to improve them. Constantly building and generating new ideas. But an idea is just a spark and will stay that way until that moment when genius strikes. A flash of inspiration arrives and a fresh connection is made. But for an idea to fly, it must be set free. Ideas become visions. Visions become goals. Goals become reality. And minds fall abate. Ideas can be shared. Ideas can be developed, nurtured, molded and shaped. Boundaries can be stretched. Borders can be moved. And rules can be enhanced. As brand new ones are born. New ideas, new visions, new goals, new realities. A brighter future, a future where we communicate better. Lives are easier and more sustainable. And play in smarter buildings, in smarter cities. The future is here today. May the peace of God be upon you all. Welcome to the opening ceremony of ITU Telcom World 2014. My name is Abdullah Ali Zainan and I will be your master of ceremonies this morning. I'm incredibly proud to be here with you as part of this wonderful occasion and would like to welcome you all, some of whom are visiting Qatar for the very first time. ITU Telcom World is the global platform for high-level debate, networking, innovation showcasing and knowledge sharing across the ICT community. And over the next four days, the potential opportunity for development and innovation is limitless. As a Qatari, I am very proud that ITU has chosen Doha to host the Telcom World 2014 and allowed us to showcase the phenomenal pace at which our country is growing and developing. The theme, Future in Focus, resonates with us strongly. As Qatar strives towards our 2030 national vision and provide the future generations of a knowledge-based economy, we are delighted to have Oridu as our appointed partner for ITU Telcom World. And we are particularly honored to have his Excellency, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud al-Thani, Chairman of Oridu, here with us this morning. His Excellency is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Oridu Group and since launch of the company's expansion strategy in 2005, he has steered the growth of Oridu from being a single operator in Qatar to a group with a presence in 15 countries and close to 100 million customers from North Africa to the Middle East to Southeast Asia. He played a key role in making Oridu the world's fastest growing telco by revenue between 2006 and 2013, reflecting his role in driving development and growth in Qatar. Just three days ago, he was named the new CEO of Qatar Investment Authority. In addition to his roles at Oridu, ladies and gentlemen, please help me in welcoming to the stage his Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud al-Thani. Your Excellency Prime Minister, Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah al-Nasr bin Khalifa al-Thani, your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, honored guests. I would like to welcome you to Qatar and to ITU Telecom World 2014. We have gathered here today to renew friendship, to explore and understand some of the most important questions, not facing just our industry but the world and perhaps else to make a difference. We know that the new generation of information and communication technology will truly deliver growth, prosperity and progress across our communities. The question we really face is how to deliver such benefit quickly and effectively and without unnecessary cost. This is where this event can be of a significant consequence. Real cross-border, cross-community improvement comes by working together in partnership by collaborating and through international cooperation. Together, we represent 165 countries here. Amongst us are many of the world's largest telecom technology companies. We are joined also by high-ranking government representatives, by policy shapers from across the region and the world, as well as a new generation of entrepreneur and app developers. Feel the power, our combined experience and know-how. Together, we can make the future happen sooner. My appeal to you all from the outset is to move as rapidly as we can from intent to implementation, from aspiration to action and to do so today. The challenges we face are daunting but these challenges must be seen as energizers, not breaks on our journey. Only about 40% of the world population today have access to the Internet. This leaves a huge number of people of whom over 90% live in developing countries unable to access the life-enriching benefits of the online world. Globally, there are over 200 million fewer women online than men. This is simply not good enough. Together, let us help to remove some of the barriers that prevent people from getting online. You know the economic and the social benefits that will follow. These are ethical as well as commercial imperatives. The mobile industry contributed to around 3.6% of global GDP in 2013. But far bigger than this is the social impact we are making. We are increasingly fundamental to the way in which the world works. How it connects and how we all experience our lives. In this respect, we are social engineers. We are the only limit to the way that the people live their lives is our energy and our imagination. Our focus this week is the future. But it's a future that will be attained by understanding and responding to the challenges of today. We build the future. This year, I have spent a lot of my time in Myanmar, who read the newest market. I have watched my team rolling out state-of-the-art network and delivering 3G technology to millions of people who had previously never had access to the Internet. Time and again, I have seen the transformative impact that communication can bring and we want to share this with you. So this week, we paint for you and with you the digital future. A digital future that is already beginning to happen. We need to build smarter, faster, bigger networks to work out how to deal with disruption and how to create cross-sector partnership and enable an intelligent future. That means real dialogue now between key players. And here you are. So let's do it. Take time to participate in debates and explore the exhibition center and the exhibition floor where you will be able to see how the Internet of Things is real and with us today. Talk and share with our innovators. Build partnerships with each other to shape our future together. I can't think of no more fitting host than Qatar to support this important event and stimulate this vital conversation. Our nation, though small, has shown that our positive vision for the future and investment in cutting edge solution can deliver real benefits for our people and raise the profile of our profile in the global stage. Under the leadership of His Highness, Fikhtumim bin Hamad Arthani, we have developed our national vision 2030, which will see Qatar build and create a knowledge-based economy that will provide jobs, innovation, and new ideas. Not just for our nation, but for the wider region and the world. We have already made great strides. Qatar has the second highest level of household broadband penetration of any developing country after Korea, 94.6%. We have nationwide 4G and 4G Plus covered. We have 185% mobile penetration, high-speed fiber connection, more than 85% of homes in Qatar. But this is just the beginning. Our aim is to become the best connected country in the world. In these coming years, you will see how Qatar deployed technology to transform people's lives. Smart city is being put in place to make life easier, greener, and more sustainable. Smart stadium technology is being built into the mega project that will host massive sporting events. And smart home technology is already improving people's lives. Qatar in its way to become a truly smart nation. We are uniquely placed to be a hub, to connect and share the benefits of the new breakthroughs between East and West, between developing and the developed country. We invite you to join us in our drive towards a better future. So let us together deploy all our intellectual and physical resources and our powerful collective imagination so that by placing the future in focus today, we can make real change happen tomorrow. Thank you. Please allow me to give to Hebron bin Nasir bin Khadis al-Fazani, our Minister and Minister of Interior. He is the sponsor and he will be making his speech. In the name of God, most gracious, most merciful, our excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the soonest guests, peace be upon you. First of all, I'm glad to warmly welcome you to the State of Qatar, which is hosting in Doha your current conference, which is held under the motto, Future in Focus. A number of decision makers, experts in IT sector and technology are attending from countries around the world in order to participate in strategies, sector strategies related discussions and in order to showcase innovations. This conference certainly will be a golden opportunity for networking and communication between different participants. This is an international conference which you hope will shine a light on the effect of technologies and policies with the participation in the development of world communities. Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, Qatar hosting of this international high-profile conference is a clear indication of Qatar's leadership interest in the IT sector and its technologies. The development of technology is a crucial party of Qatar 2030 vision, which is based on developing a knowledge-based society by reinforcing innovation and also communication, which are part of efforts to provide services which allows different state sectors to succeed and also which will ensure sustainable development for the State of Qatar and also to develop Qataris citizens by providing smart education services, infrastructure and health, which will certainly will be beneficial to Qataris and will make the state a model for sustainable development. We are confident that our knowledge-based economy will be under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, may God protect him, will certainly provide jobs, innovation and fresh ideas, not only in our country but also in the region and globally. Ladies and gentlemen, we are extremely proud that we are the country which hosts the great number of telecom corporations. So we are an important hub for you to meet here in order to reach debates about what matters in this sector. To conclude, I'd like to say that this conference is an opportunity for us to exchange ideas about new opportunities, which might contribute to changing and transforming the world. I reiterate my welcome to you and wish you a nice date in the State of Qatar and we warmly welcome your contribution in this conference, which you hope will deliver recommendations, will contribute to the development of this very important sector and draw benefits from it. And thank you very much. Good morning. We are excited about our future, even though they don't quite understand. We tell them big data, the Internet of Things and cloud computing are like a huge brain with billions of pieces of information connecting all over the world. We are communicating with each other in ways that we never imagined and this is just the beginning. Doha is becoming a smart city of the future. It is already improving our environment, our education, our health and our communities. It's not just about technology, it's about connecting people and improving lives everywhere. My grandparents are always telling us stories from the past. We tell them stories of the future. I would like to thank our wonderful film narrator, Azumud Ibrahim Al-Hijji, who is with us this morning. As our film showed, we are very proud of the developments that are taking place in Doha and Qatar as a whole. Our country is growing at a fast pace and we are utilizing the latest technology and innovations to help us become a smart city of the future. Key to our growth and helping us achieve a knowledge-based economy is ICT Qatar and we are delighted to have her Excellency, Dr. Hussa Sultan Al-Jaber, Minister of ICT Qatar, here with us this morning. Dr. Hussa is the first-ever Minister of Information and Communications Technology in Qatar and she is the third Qatari woman to assume a ministerial position in the state. In the name of God, the Merciful. In the name of God, the First-Four. Your Excellency, Mr. Prime Minister, Minister of Interior, Chief Minister, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, dear guests, I am very happy to welcome you in Doha in ITU Telecom World 2014, this important yearly event which gives us the possibility to have a look at the future of ICTs and the means of making the best of them to develop our economies and our societies. And please allow me at the beginning to express my thanks to Dr. Hamadoun Ture and to ITU for organizing his conference in Doha. I would also like to express my gratitude to Sheikh Abdullah, the Sorda Fani and to the company Oridu for the efforts they have made in the organization of the conference and I would like to congratulate Sheikh Abdullah who was named chairman of the Qatar Investment Board. In the past 10 years we all knew what we had to do in order to develop the ITC sector. And despite the different positions, the speed adopted by every country, our purpose was all the same. We wanted to develop quick infrastructure, high quality infrastructure, safe networks and providing e-services to our citizens in a complete environment. Qatar was able to realize most of those achievements in the past decade. However, the standards which are well known in the word of communication are not sufficient today. The world knows today a new digital revolution and the ITC industry is going through a quality changing period with the cloud, with Internet of Things, with constant connection with analysis of big data technologies that did not exist a few years ago. And today they are the environment of ICT. Because ICT is evolving at fast speed, the future of the sector of technology and communication more complicated, more complex, it is difficult to define the aspects of our world tomorrow. Because those ICT are bringing new possibilities, they offer extraordinary challenges to all. New participants, this new digital age has no limits and the chances and opportunities are numerous, but we will be faking many challenges such as the smart cities. We seek a new future. We have to find an interconnected environment in which ICT makes all together with other sectors such as communication, health, education, finance, logistics and media. So on the basis of the consensus of Boussala last month, we have adopted strategies and new work plans to make the best of the second digital revolution. The communication companies have to reassess their working methods, must improve their offers to be able to follow the new digital area. So that when we travel and don't find Wi-Fi, we fear losing our data because transferring information may be more expensive than traveling. And the ICT must work on the adoption of new regulations that are more indebted to technology evolution in order to encourage the operators to invest in their networks and to pursue their work in that modernization. Governments have to set the necessary regulatory framework to protect the privacy of users and help operators develop. And we must all make the best to allow internet to remain open to all. It is there to allow empowerment, creation, innovation. There are more than more people today that are expecting more from internet and we must make this possible. And Qatar under the wise governorship of Sheikh Amir Bintani, the wise leader of the country, we are working on a community of information and technology. We will pursue the work in the field of ICT and develop our projects. Today we are speaking about the future and we must concentrate in the coming years on the implementation of strategic programs and vital programs that will increase national income and help the development of all sectors that are evolving very quickly. More specifically when we know that Qatar is preparing to welcome important events in the future that will have consequences on its development. We are working on the development of a specific area in Abu Fintas for ICT and we will concentrate on small and medium size companies, local and foreign that will offer global solutions which will allow us to use technology in analyzing big data, in using internet of things, in using smart intelligence and all types of modern technology which offer fast solutions, vital solutions for the development of sectors such as health, education, communication, renewable energy, banking services, tourism and other services. And we will set up a global system of policies, regulations and mechanism to prepare, finance the new companies in order to prepare the appropriate investment environment for the development of ICTs. And we will move forward in the implementation of the proper programs to increase investment in electronic exchanges and encourage the use of such exchanges by the consumers, by government and by all sectors and in conclusion I would like to say that the success of our future objectives is linked to the effort of all concerned parts. We must work together to reach evolved digital economy. All of us in this conference have a role to play. The government must specify the priorities, set up the strategic network and the private sector has to innovate and invent new services, new technology. The academic sector has to teach, develop the environment of research and we are always happy to work with the ITU in all those sectors. As I have said a few moments ago, with the increasing intercontactivity between the different sectors, no one can work alone as was the case in the past. We must work together to help bring this technology to the rest of the world. Discussions in the coming three years and debates and meetings with friends, colleagues from the rest of the world will help do that. Thank you for your attention. Thank you, Dr. Ahsa. Dr. Hamadun Turey has been the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union since January 2007 and was re-elected for a second four-year term in October 2010. A long-standing champion of information and communication technologies. As drivers of social and economic development, Dr. Turey has ensured that all sections of society, especially remote and vulnerable communities, receive the benefits of being connected, launching projects based on partnerships with international organizations, governments, the private sector, and civil society. During his tenure as Secretary General, ITU has addressed some of the global challenges of our times, such as combating climate change and maintaining the peace in cyber space. As ITU prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary next year, the Union lives up to its reputation as one of the most resilient organizations remaining at the cutting edge of technology in its commitment to connect the world. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Hamadun Turey to the stage. Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen, it is a real pleasure and honor to be with you here today for the opening ceremony of ITU Telecom World 2014. I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of ITU to the State of Qatar and its appointed partner, the leading international communication company, Oridu, for his support and commitment in bringing this event to the wonderful city of Doha, a city which is such a testament of the power of technology and future thinking. We are especially honored by the patronage and leadership of her Excellency, Dr. Hesa, Sultan Al-Jaber, who, when the Master of Ceremony was introducing her, as the first woman minister of the Information and Communication Technology, I would like to say that she was also the first woman ever in the ITU history to chair a major ITU conference, the World Telecommunication Development Conference, in 2006 here in Doha. Doha Qatar, as we all remember, has been the host of ITU Connect Arab State in 2012. And, of course, of the World Telecommunication Development Conference in 2006. As I said, we are honored to have her Excellency, Dr. Hesa, chairing that conference. We are honored here today by his Excellency, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Prime Minister of Qatar, in supporting this event and by the presence here of, of course, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Thani, Chairman of Oridu, the leading sponsor, partner, and show floor exhibitor here in Doha. We are grateful indeed for the close cooperation, dedication and hard work of the whole Oridu team and of ICT Qatar and the whole Qatar government in ensuring the success of ITU Telecom World 2014. Your support in bringing ITU Telecom World 2014 to Doha has been invaluable. Ladies and gentlemen, in Doha, we are at the crossroads of three continents in a city manifestly committed to the digital revolution, to the digital economy. What better location in which to explore how disruptive development in technology are transforming our industry, our society and our world? And what better location to examine potential scenarios of the future? This is the central theme of this year's ITU Telecom World event, the future in focus. The aim of this event is not to predict the future. Who would be brave enough to do that? Or even to shape the future? The aim is to better understand what is happening in the industry now and to investigate what the near future might look like. To equip us with all, to equip us with an idea of the strategies, policies, models and markets to consider in a world of constant change, change is, of course, fundamental to our industry. Technology itself is intimately linked with innovation, with change. And ours is an industry powered by change, dependent on change for growth and success. But never before has that change come at such a pace and covered such a range of applications and fields of human endeavor. This is a common place to state that ICTs are the backbone of the digital revolution, the infrastructure of all infrastructures. But the power of that infrastructure, the reach of ICTs and the implications for our businesses, societies and lives is simply unprecedented. We are close to seeing the Internet of Things and the reality connecting billions of objects throughout the world to one another, to the Internet and to us. An extraordinary network of sensors driving smart energy systems, smart transportation, smart health, smart homes and smart cities, saving energy, saving money and saving time and above all improving our lives. The development in artificial intelligence, in human machine to machine interfaces, in wearable tech or body sensor networks will change our daily lives and may perhaps change what means to be human, simply. Big data has a never bigger part to play in government, in business models, in development, such as the excellent work being done using anonymized mobile phone records to track and stem the flow of diseases such as Ebola, which is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Mobile networks in the cloud and the softwareization of network elements, bringing IT into ICTs and changing the nature, the structure and the culture of the industry. The convergence of software and telecommunications is echoed in the convergence of broadcasts and broadband and in the convergence of industries and vertical sectors. Cross sector partnership, collaboration and cooperation in perhaps unexpected ways. These two is part of the future. Ladies and gentlemen, the opportunities and challenges are immense for all of us, for operators, vendors, governments, academics, consultants and for both the developed and the developing world. But we are in very good hands here at ITU Telecom World for the extraordinary, from the extraordinary gathering of international futurists from across a range of disciplines in the leadership summit on the future this afternoon to the world-class experts from industry, government and academia and leading four days of debate in the forum together we will explore this exciting and traumatic future. So let's not forget in the course of this debate those who are in danger of being left behind. Let us not leave the unconnected, the digitally dispossessed those on the other side of the digital and energy divides because the digital revolution, the knowledge economy and the benefits of technology should be and must be for all the world's people. It is our duty as leaders of industry, of governments and of organizations such as the ITU to ensure that the gap closes more quickly each year keeping pace with the speed of change. Disengaged guests, never before in human history have so many developments in technology, in science and business come together with such tremendous potential to improve the lives of people everywhere on this planet. Never before have the challenges of ensuring that the changes happening are fair, equitable and ethical being so considerable. Our discussions here at ITU Telecom World 2014 are an important part of those changes and I am once again grateful to the State of Qatar for hosting this event and for making this possible. Ladies and gentlemen, let me close by saying that I am honored to be here in Doha at the last major ITU event of my mandate as Secretary-General of ITU. I will be moving on to new opportunities and a new life beyond ITU, but I am leaving you in the most excellent hands of my successor, Mr. Houlin Zhao, who was elected as Secretary-General at the ITU Plenipotential Conference in Busan just a few weeks ago. I would like you to give him a round of applause, Mr. Zhao. Mr. Zhao has a long history of close connection with ITU Telecom and has always been a great supporter of the event and its management team and I am confident that ITU Telecom will continue to go from strength to strength under his leadership of a union over the coming years. And on that very positive note, let me close my remarks here and let me have the honor to declaring the ITU Telecom World 2014 event open for business. Thank you for your attention. All technology begins with the spark of an idea. Shared, these sparks become developments and creations that change the world, working with each other, we can achieve great things. Over the next four days, there will be exciting opportunities to unravel some of these complexities of the future and discover a way forward together. Please, raise your hands as we join together to create a brighter future. His Excellency, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed Sultana Al-Jaber, back to the stage. May the peace of God be upon you all. In the forgotten world, he did extremely well to bring the ICT knowledge to a high level, especially in Rwanda. When I visited that country, I was amazed by the ICT level of technology there. And it's really because of his input and his ability. Yes, for me, Dr. Ahmadoun is a close friend and a brother that 100% he will be missed. And I think it's a great opportunity that your last major event is in Doha. I think this only shows how much our relation, you with Qatar, you with Sheikh Abdullah, with me, with everybody, and I think you are... I don't think anyone will have the impact in the sector as you did in the full world. Can I ask Dr. Ahmadoun Tari to come in here, please? I know it's a surprise for you. It's a surprise for Ahmadoun, I swear. He didn't know about it. But what I would like to say, this is a door that represents a small token, represents that other door is always open for you. Thank you so much. Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats during the photo moment. This is a real surprise. You guys, as the Prime Minister, I simply want to say I'm grateful. This is an emotional moment for me. I'm always being asked to make species, and I've been so far pretty good at it, but today I'm speechless. Thank you very much.