WTDC Web Dialogues

WTDC ​will be the 8th WTDC, the conference having been held every four years since 1994. BDT is collaborating with its membership to ensure that the WTDC continues to be a leading platform for transformational digital development, and that WTDC is even more effective than its predecessors. This WTDC review and reform process began with a series of ve​ry successful Web Dialogues, conducted entirely virtually due to COVID-19 travel and social distancing restrictions.


Over 200 participants from all over the world participated in the web dialogues on WTDC and discussed the all aspects of WTDC, form the preparatory process, to the content and structure and the engagement of non-traditional stakeholders. With COVID-19 throwing a global spotlight on connectivity and injecting new urgency and momentum into connecting the next 3.6 billion, the role of WTDC will be critical. Participants brainstormed and discuss ideas to position WTDC as the landmark conference to meet advance sustainable development and address development issues. The outcomes of the two WTDC web dialogues were presented at the TDAG meeting, on 2-5 June 2020.​


First Web Dialogue

​This first we​b dialogue was held on 24 March and provided the opportunity to delve into four main topics revolving around WTDC that are outlined in document TDAG-20/DT/2. Each topic was moderated by a representative of membership.​

Issues discussed:​​

  • Preparatory process
  • Content and structure
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Side events


Reference material:


Second Web Dialogue

​The second web dialogue was held on 30 March and was intended to maximise and further build on the discussions that took place during the first web dialogue.

The objective of the second web dialogue was to further discuss and refine proposals for consideration by TDAG-20 to ensure that the World Telecommunication Development Conference in 2022 ​will be a solutions-based conference that addresses the real challenges in the development of telecommunications/ICTs.

Reference material: