Malta to host Commonwealth meeting

Malta will host a preparatory meeting in the run up to the Commonwealth Connects International e-Partnership Summit scheduled to be held in India in March next year.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the steering committee of the Commonwealth Connects programme chaired by Foreign Minister Michael Frendo at Marlborough House, in London.

The Malta meeting, scheduled for January 2007, will bring together 53 officials from Commonwealth countries responsible for liasing with the Commonwealth Connects steering committee on the implementation of the digital divide mandate given by the Malta CHOGM last November.

The Malta meeting will aim to tackle issues of needs and donors, as well as beneficiaries, in terms of digital divide in Commonwealth countries.

The Commonwealth Connects programme embarks on projects and programmes aimed at achieving technology transfer, knowledge and experience from "ICT-rich" Commonwealth countries to "ICT-poor" Commonwealth countries or regions.