INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION
Council Working Group for the Elaboration of the
Draft Strategic Plan and the Draft Financial Plan,
2008-2011
Document: WG-SP-FP/08
27 October 2005
English
Geneva, 27 – 28 October, 2005
Chairman of the Working Group
REPORT OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE COUNCIL WORKING GROUP
FOR THE ELABORATION OF THE DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN 2008-2011
Background
In line with the ITU Constitution (No. 62A), the 2005 session of the ITU Council initiated the
preparation process for a draft new strategic plan for 2008-2011. It adopted Decision 527, which
foresees the establishment of a working group on the elaboration of the draft strategic and financial
plans.
This working group first met on 27-28 October 2005. The present document covers the outcome of
the first day of discussions on the strategic plan, open to all ITU Member States and Sector Members.
The discussion of the draft financial plan of the Union, open to ITU Member States only, is reflected
in a separate document.
Outcome of the Meeting
In her opening remarks, the Chairman outlined the objective of the meeting, which was to determine a
methodology for the elaboration of the 2008-2011 strategic plan, and to prepare instructions for the
Sector Advisory Groups (TSAG, TDAG, RAG) on their contributions to the plan. The meeting
provided information on materials that could assist the working group in its work. The objective of the
meeting, as stated by the Chairman, was not to deliberate on questions of substance, given that a
number of important inputs are still outstanding (e.g. outcome of the second phase of the WSIS and
the World Telecommunication Development Conference).
At the onset of the meeting, the Secretary-General presented his views on the nature and scope of the
strategic plan. In particular, he emphasized the need to produce a living document that would serve as
a reference for the ITU, rather than one, which is rarely consulted once adopted. Mr. Utsumi invited
the working group to draft a more concise and high-level document, which would provide guidance to
the future Secretary-General of the ITU, and to consider the possibility of updating the plan more
frequently (e.g. every one or two years).
The working group then turned its attention to contributions from Member States. The only written
contributions were submitted by Canada: its first contribution focused on the methodology to follow
for the elaboration of the strategic plan (WG-SP-FP/04), its second on guidelines to Sector Advisory
Groups in this regard, and its third reproduced the list of outputs as defined within the Results Based
Budgeting (RBB) framework.
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During the discussions, the need for greater linkages between the strategic and financial plans was
emphasized. In this context, it was agreed that the strategic plan should include a clear reference to the
outputs as defined in the Results Based Budgeting (RBB) framework. These outputs should be then
linked to objectives, of which there should be a limited number. It was considered helpful if each
Sector could supply a list of four or five outputs that are of particularly high priority. There should
also be a review of the mission statements for the preparation of the new strategic plan. The Working
Group agreed that this exercise should apply to each of the Sectors as well as to the General
Secretariat.
Document WG-SP-FP/09 sets out the parameters for this exercise by listing a number of specific
requests for inputs, which are to be made available by 16 January 2006.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the working group will be held in Geneva on 30-31 January 2006 to discuss these
inputs as well as any further contributions from members (including examples of strategic plans from
other organizations).
M.-O. Beau
Chairman
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