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Zimbabwean lands top ITU post
02 Oct 2022 at 03:59hrs | Views
Zimbabwean telecommunications expert Dr Cosmas Zavazava was elected director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on Friday during the ongoing ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Bucharest, Romania.
Dr Zavazava beat five other candidates, after three rounds of voting, to clinch the position.
Zimbabwe's candidate led the first two rounds of voting, but failed to garner the 50 percent plus one vote threshold in both rounds, forcing the election to the decisive third round, where he polled 101 votes to comprehensively beat Bahamas' Stephen Bereaux, who got 63 votes.
The ITU is a specialised organisation of the United Nations (UN) responsible for all matters related to information and communication technologies (ICT). The BDT is the development arm of the ITU, which facilitates projects in developing countries, small islands and other underdeveloped areas.
Four African countries – Cameroon, Gambia, Congo Brazzaville and Zimbabwe – fielded candidates.
"Member states have elected Dr Cosmas Zavazava of Zimbabwe as the next director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union.
Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Deputy Minister, Dingimuzi Phuti, led the Zimbabwean delegation to the conference, where he was deputised by Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe director-general, Dr Gift Kallisto Machengete.
Dr Machengete chaired Dr Zavazava's campaign team and doubled up as the campaign manager and strategist.
The campaign team comprised officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and ICT, as well as the Office of the President and Cabinet.
The ITU convenes the Plenipotentiary Conference every four years to elect its secretary-general, deputy secretary-general and directors of its three units – Radio Communication Bureau, Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau and Telecommunication Development Bureau.
As BDT director, Dr Zavazava will be in charge of the development arm of the ITU, which facilitates development projects in developing countries, small island developing states and underdeveloped areas of the world.
Prior to his election, Dr Zavazava was the chief of department, Partnerships for Digital Development, in the BDT, responsible for strategic partnerships, engagement with industry and the private sector, resource mobilisation and projects implementation.
Dr Zavazava beat five other candidates, after three rounds of voting, to clinch the position.
Zimbabwe's candidate led the first two rounds of voting, but failed to garner the 50 percent plus one vote threshold in both rounds, forcing the election to the decisive third round, where he polled 101 votes to comprehensively beat Bahamas' Stephen Bereaux, who got 63 votes.
The ITU is a specialised organisation of the United Nations (UN) responsible for all matters related to information and communication technologies (ICT). The BDT is the development arm of the ITU, which facilitates projects in developing countries, small islands and other underdeveloped areas.
Four African countries – Cameroon, Gambia, Congo Brazzaville and Zimbabwe – fielded candidates.
"Member states have elected Dr Cosmas Zavazava of Zimbabwe as the next director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union.
Dr Machengete chaired Dr Zavazava's campaign team and doubled up as the campaign manager and strategist.
The campaign team comprised officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and ICT, as well as the Office of the President and Cabinet.
The ITU convenes the Plenipotentiary Conference every four years to elect its secretary-general, deputy secretary-general and directors of its three units – Radio Communication Bureau, Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau and Telecommunication Development Bureau.
As BDT director, Dr Zavazava will be in charge of the development arm of the ITU, which facilitates development projects in developing countries, small island developing states and underdeveloped areas of the world.
Prior to his election, Dr Zavazava was the chief of department, Partnerships for Digital Development, in the BDT, responsible for strategic partnerships, engagement with industry and the private sector, resource mobilisation and projects implementation.
Source - The Sunday Mail
