148. In addition to the above actlvities, the statf participatad in the UnitedNations third International Synposiun on the MobiLization of Savings in DevelopingCountries, and in the publlcatl,on of a manual on rsavinga for Developnents(Techniques and Policies) r. INIERNAT IONAI, IEIJE@MMT'N ICATION UNION 149. Activities of ITU ln the field of ECDC are nainly concerned t{ith the inprovenent of teleconnunlcat ions lnfragtEucture, equipnent, nanagenent and naintenance in order to facilitate economic activities and relations betpeen tr{o or nore countriea. In this connection, ITI' continues to aupport the impleftentation ol lhe Pan-Atrican leleconnunications Netteork (PANAFTEL) with a viee to improving its manaqement, organization and procedures, ae weII as lnitiating activities for equlpnent ma intenance. Technicaf asaiatance for a nuLti-country posts and te leconmunlcat iona tralnlng schene has been extehded to four Southern Africancountries (Botspana, Leaotho, Halaei and Srraziland) . Another technlcal assistanceproject ln Africa conaists of proviating advice and support to the Di r ec tor-cene ra1ot the Liptako-@urna AuEhority, a subregional co-operation organization for the A/40/58r Engl.ish Paqe 35 developnent of a sbeclf i.c geoqraphical area common to Burkina Faso, MaIi and Niger ln the inplenentation of the Authorityrs telecomnunicat ion progranme, and technical co-ordinatlon betgeen nember Statea for natters relaled to their telecomunications prog r amne, 150- In Asia, ITU is assisting nenber countries of ASEAN, in parti'cul'ar, in pronoting effective co-operatlon anong them through comnon lraining progranmes in respect of future developnent ot regional telecomnunicat ion neteorka, unification in nalntenance standards and operational arrangenents in the field of te lecommunicat lons ln supPort of g€ial and economic deve.Lopnent of the ASEAN countr I es. l5l. In the t{iddle East, ITU i3 assisting teleconnunicat ions adninistratrons to implement the nBgter plan for a regional telecontnun icat ions network' Ehrouqh studies on international telex services, including Provision ot circuit requirenente, a teasibility study for intercontinental suhtarine cable areeries servicing the project region' standardization of an international signalling system
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing various activities and projects related to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and its efforts to promote economic development and communication infrastructure in developing countries. The projects mentioned include the mobilization of savings, telecommunication network development, and technical assistance programs.

**Category**
Transport and communication, International trade