Turning digital foundations into economic and societal progress
FROM CONNECTIVITY TO IMPACT: INFRASTRUCTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT, KNOWLEDGE FOR CHANGE
Ensuring affordable, meaningful and secure connectivity for all remains a fundamental priority. Every country and community must have access to the digital world.
But connectivity and access alone are not sufficient. These critical enablers must be translated into results. We must now build on connectivity and put digital technologies to work to drive better governance, improved public services, job creation, and economic growth. Digitalisation must reach people and provide them value. To achieve this, we need to work on adoption and building trust.
This means supporting countries in moving from connectivity to inclusive and comprehensive digital transformation. We need to move towards hands-on development, and I am committed to turn this vision into reality.
Building local capacity, industry, and solid foundations for sustainable transformation
LOCAL DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS: FOUNDATION FOR A RESILIENT FUTURE
Sustainable digital development depends on strong local ecosystems. I will work with partners to invest in local capacity, institutions and private sector growth, enabling countries to lead and sustain their own transformation. Thriving local industries and digital ecosystems are the foundation of a sustainable digital transformation.
Equally important are the core foundations that underpin digital development. Data must be digitised and made interoperable; digital authentication and identity systems must be in place to support the transformation of all sectors. These building blocks provide a platform for the continuous adoption of new technologies, including emerging trends such as Artificial Intelligence.
Strengthening capability to adopt artificial intelligence and future technologies with confidence
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR ALL: NAVIGATING THROUGH GROWING COMPLEXITY FOR OPPORTUNITIES
Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, are advancing rapidly, bringing new opportunities, but also greater complexity. The challenge is not merely an access to these technologies, but the ability to plan and execute their use for continuous opportunities.
I will ensure that the ITU BDT will provide targeted support to help countries assess, plan, and deploy new technologies in ways suited to their context and development goals. This means investing in local skills, and piloting applications in priority sectors. Digital foundations and local ecosystems developed under the preceding pillars are what make this adoption sustainable and genuinely transformative.
Working together for one, stronger ITU
COLLABORATION FOR GLOBAL IMPACT: ELEVATING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF THE ITU TO THE WORLD
Delivering impact at scale requires strong partnerships, collaboration and sustained investment. The BDT will cooperate closely with regional offices, to plan and execute digital development together. Under my leadership, BDT will leverage ITU's full strength, working closely across all three bureaus, streamlining its work across ITU, and serving as an “arm” in taking the ITU's knowledge to the world.
Strengthening ITU's own capacity and skills, particularly in emerging technologies, will be key to ensuring it remains a coherent, effective, and future-ready organisation delivering impact worldwide, while continuously improving its own processes and efficiency in doing so.
Together with other ITU elected officials, I will deepen the BDT's collaboration across the UN system, private sector, academia, and other relevant partners for knowledge sharing, capacity building and resource mobilisation.
