GENEVA, 11 December 2003 — World leaders launched a bid yesterday to bridge a “digital divide” between rich and poor by extending access to information technology as critics hit out at press repression under many governments taking part.

The conference aims to bring poorer nations of the world into the so-called information age and speed their economic development by boosting access to technology such as mobile phones and the Internet.

Organized by the United Nations, the three-day World Summit on the Information Society has attracted officials from 175 countries, but few of the 60 heads of state or government attending come from Europe or North America.

“Where most global conferences focus on global threats, this one will consider how best to use a new global asset,” UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said at the opening ceremony. “From trade to telemedicine, from education to environmental protection, we have in our hands, on our desktops and in the skies above, the ability to improve standards of living for millions upon millions of people,” he added.

Roughly 90 percent of the world’s population remains unconnected to the Internet, depriving them of a vital 21st century resource and spurring fears of a growing “digital divide” between rich and poor. Poorer countries, particularly from Africa, had been pressing for the launch of a “Digital Solidarity Fund” to help finance the infrastructure they say is needed to close the gap.

Other topics range from how to battle the spread of spam and pornography on the Internet to whether administration of the worldwide web should be put under international control.

The latter idea, backed by Brazil and other developing countries, but again opposed by the richer states, was also effectively put on hold after negotiators agreed to set up a committee to review Internet management. Although rich states took an active part in pre-conference negotiations, their leaders were noticeable by their absence in Geneva, triggering criticism from UN officials.

“For those who did not come, all I can say is you have missed an opportunity,” said Shasi Tharoor, United Nations undersecretary-general for communications and public information.