Today at Urugwiro Village, President Paul Kagame yesterday awarded the Secretary General of International Communication Union(ITU) Houlin Zhao the National Order of Honour, Agaciro.
According to village Urugwiro, the accolade is a recognition of Zhao’s “distinguished service as the leader of ITU during a very consequential period for the globalization of telecommunications technology.”
Houlin Zhao was re-elected ITU Secretary-General at the 20th Plenipotentiary Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in November 2018.
He is an information and communication technology (ICT) engineer who has served in a variety of senior management positions at ITU, began his second, and last, four-year term on 1 January 2019.
In his capacity, Zhao spearheaded the introduction of new efficiency measures to improve ITU’s standards-making environment through fostering even closer cooperation with industry members, while strengthening the promotion of ITU’s leadership in global ICT standards development.
Rwanda seeks to make ICT the backbone of its economy and President Kagame spearheads important efforts that would lead the country to that achievement, but he also leads world’s effort to make ICT, internet a tool for everyone.
The president, as Co-Chair of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development believes:
“The transformational impact of broadband on people’s lives and global economies is no longer questionable; the remaining challenge is to extend these obvious benefits to the majority of global citizens and allow them to unleash their creative potential to fully integrate in the information driven global economy. This will require new frameworks for global cooperation in areas of investment, research and technology. The Broadband Commission for Digital Development will work to realize this potential.”
Rwanda is member of the ITU since December 12, 1962.
