On 28 February 2007, at the invitation of Mr. Maurice Ghazal, Vice-President of CPM, ITU-R Study Groups, the DSF and its partner StratXX Holding AG, participated in the ITU Radiocommunication Sector - CPM07-2 Preparatory Meeting (CICG, Geneva).

StratXX Holding AG, represented by Mr. Kamal Alavi, CEO and Mr. Marco Bobbio Pallavicini, Director of Engineering, presented the High Altitude Platform System (HAPS) developed by a Swiss team of researchers, including EPFL, University of Technology Zürich and RUAG.

Mr. Alavi presented the technical features of the system, its applications and the state of advancement of the project. In his view, HAPS is a key to rural/remote sites broadband and a positional solution to connectivity problems. 


StratXX is currently developing the X-Station prototype: a stationary blimp situated in the stratosphere at around 21 km altitude - which will offer unprecedented potential for delivery of broadband services. The X-Stations project is in its test phase (June 2007) and expected to be operational as of 2009.  In his presentation, Mr. Alavi, stressed the enormous potential of the X-Stations for the developing world.

Considering that in the case of Africa, the deployment of 50-60 X-Stations would ensure full connectivity coverage on the whole continent in record time and at affordable costs, he concluded that the venture would represent a decisive breakthrough in the fight against the digital divide.

The DSF, represented by Mr. Mehdy Davary, IT Director and Ms. Elena Ursache, Project Manager, presented the Fund, its key features, its action and vision until 2015 (UN Millennium Development Goals). Recognizing the growing inequalities in the emerging knowledge society, and the risk of marginalisation of some 80% of the world population in the global economy, Ms. Ursache stressed the originality of the DSF.

First, its innovative financing mechanism specifically designed to reduce the digital divide (the 1% digital solidarity principle - that it is consistent with the development of the world market of information and communication technologies), and secondly the quadripartite nature of its management (equal representation of State Governments, local authorities, the private sector and civil society in its Foundation Board).


Recalling the 8th Objective of the Millennium Declaration, Ms. Ursache insisted on the fact that today, in the global information society, no strategy for development can be achieved without access to ICTs. This is why the DSF strategy is to build a strong partnership with the private sector to bring the latest available technologies (which should be both low cost and more efficient) to the developing world.

Mr. Davary recalled the importance for the present delegations to share their experience and know-how together with StratXX and DSF, to participate to a global movement to bridge the digital divide.

This would enable to connect the whole African continent by 2015.  In addition, the DSF intends to develop 5 to 20 community-based projects in each of the 53 African countries and scale up this strategy to Latin America and the Caribbean, to the Middle East, to Asia and the Pacific.

Geneva, 1st March 2007