Update: 9:51PM FIJI has been unanimously elected as First Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) at the 2016 CTO Council Meeting held in Nadi today.

A Government statement issued a short while ago stated the election followed Fiji’s successful hosting of the CTO Forum that ended yesterday.

It stated that representatives from member states and telecommunications organisations discussed a wide range of issues relating to the development of information and communication technologies.

Attorney-General and Minister for Communications Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum thanked the CTO Council members for their participation in the week’s events.

WHile he expressed the pleasure of playing host to fellow CTO members over the past week, said: “we are appreciative of the confidence placed in Fiji in our successful bid for the First Vice Chairmanship”.

“We are keen to work with the CTO to deepen engagement among member states and build upon the ideas and strategies put forward during the 2016 Forum and Council Meeting.”

During the Council Meeting, member states reviewed organisational activities and progress over the past year and discussed the CTO’s expanded membership – particularly the re-engagement of the Republic of India and the entry of Samoa.

Fiji had previously served as the CTO Second Vice Chair.