2018-03594. Notice of Public Meeting of the International Telecommunication Advisory Committee and Preparations for Upcoming International Telecommunications Meetings

This notice announces a meeting of the Department of State's International Telecommunication Advisory Committee (ITAC). The ITAC will meet on March 9, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. EST at 1101 K Street (NW), Suite 610 to review the results of recent multilateral meetings, update on preparations for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2018 Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-18), and discuss preparations for upcoming other multilateral meetings at the ITU. The meeting will focus on the following topics:

1. ITU Council Working Groups

a. Experts group on International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs)

b. Council Working Group for Strategic and Financial Plans

c. Council Working Group on Financial and Human Resources

d. Council Working Group on Implementation of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Outcomes

e. Council Working Group on International Internet-Related Public Policy Issues

2. Preparations for the ITU 2018 Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-18)

3. ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) meetings

4. ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) meetings

5. Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

6. Regional PP-18 Preparatory Groups

7. WSIS Forum

PP-18 will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from October 29 to November 17, 2018. The Plenipotentiary Conference, which takes place every four years, is the highest policy-making body of the ITU. PP-18 will determine the overall policy direction of the ITU; adopt the strategic and financial plans for the next four years; elect the 48 members of Council, 12 members of the Radio Regulations Board, and five senior ITU elected officials; and consider and adopt, if appropriate, amendments to the ITU Constitution and Convention.

Attendance at this meeting is open to the public as seating capacity allows. The public will have an opportunity to provide comments at this meeting at the invitation of the chair. Further details on this ITAC meeting will be announced on the Department of State's email list, [e-mail]. Use of the ITAC list is limited to meeting announcements and confirmations, distribution of agendas and other relevant meeting documents. The Department welcomes any U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident to remain on or join the ITAC listserv by registering by email via [e-mail] and providing his or her name, email address, telephone contact and the company, organization, or community that he or she is representing, if any. Persons wishing to request reasonable accommodation during the meeting should send their requests to [e-mail] no later than March 1, 2018. Requests made after that time will be considered, but might not be able to be fulfilled.

Please send all inquiries to [e-mail].

Stephan A. Lang,

Acting Director, Multilateral Affairs, Cyber and International Communications and Information Policy, U.S. Department of State.