Financing development assistance in the ITU

The problem of helping the developing countries of the world establish a viable domestic telecommunications system is a difficult one. Because of an overwhelming need and the recommendations laid down in The Missing Link, many proposals are bound to be made to the Nice Plenipotentiary to increase the amount of technical assistance provided by the ITU. This paper examines the history of the debate over development assistance in the ITU, the structures of the ITU for development assistance activities, and the funding of technical assistance. It concludes that there is a serious threat of the ITU's overall effectiveness becoming weakened if it is forced to stretch too far its resources in funding special development funds.