ITU-D convened global and regional forums to discuss global regulatory trends for Sector Members and other national and international stakeholders to promote strategic dialogue on policy, legal and regulatory issues, as well as on economic and financial issues and market developments. The Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) is the annual event where ICT regulators share their views and experiences. 

ITU-D continued to provide high-quality data, research and analysis, as well as tools (such as reports, discussion papers, publications, portals and databases) to support the ITU membership in defining, implementing and reviewing coherent strategies and policy, legal and regulatory frameworks. Reports in the Trends in Telecommunication Reform series included Regulatory incentives to achieve digital opportunities (2016); Getting ready for the digital economy (2015); and Fourth-generation regulation: Driving digital communications ahead (2014).  Various portals and publications were made available, including the Digital Ecosystem Portal, the International Mobile roaming Portal, the Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities for the new ICT Ecosystem Report, the APP Economy in Africa, etc.

In 2017, ITU-D launched the 2017 Global Regulatory Outlook Report, the first in a new series tracking market and regulatory trends in the ICT sector and their implications across the economy.  ITU-D’s ICT Regulatory Tracker covers 186 countries for a period of nine years, showcasing national, regional and global regulatory progress. Since 2015, direct assistance has been provided for over 20 countries and regions to help them achieve a more inclusive information society and raise national and regional awareness of the importance of an environment that enables digital inclusion.

 

ITU-D worked closely with ITU-R and ITU-T in all regions to develop infrastructure and services. ITU assisted several countries in preparing wireless broadband master plans, spectrum management master plans and national broadband policies for their transition from public-switched telecommunication networks (PSTN) to next-generation networks (NGN). 

ITU-D continued to implement and update the ITU interactive terrestrial transmission maps (for broadband backbone optical fibre, microwave links and satellite earth stations, IXPs, as well as submarine cables) for all regions.  A report on the implementation of evolving telecommunication/ICT infrastructure for developing countries was revised.  In accordance with WTDC Resolution 47 (Rev. Buenos Aires, 2017) , regional forums and training courses on conformity and interoperability (C&I) were held in collaboration with ITU-T and ITU-R, focusing on conformity assessment procedures, type approval testing for mobile terminals and different C&I testing domains for the Africa, Americas, Arab States, Asia-Pacific and CIS regions.  In 2015, new guidelines on establishing conformity and interoperability regimes were published online and shared with the membership. 

The Spectrum Management System for Developing Countries (SMS4DC) is now in use in over 40 countries in the Africa, Americas, Arab States, Asia-Pacific, and Europe regions.  Spectrum management master plans have been drafted for six Asia-Pacific countries and three countries in the Caribbean.  Guidelines have been prepared to assist countries in developing their national table of frequency allocations and national spectrum management assessments, for tendering for their national spectrum monitoring system and for developing spectrum fee regimes

D.2-3 Innovation and partnership [84] 

To contribute to bridging the innovation divide, ITU hosted several innovation dialogues, which built knowledge and capacity for ICT-centric innovation at the national, regional and global levels.  An innovation framework was developed identifying key pillars for monitoring, developing and impacting ICT-centric innovation ecosystems, including strategies, policies, and programs. Several initiatives were taken to scale knowledge and build capacity, including global dialogues held with over 300 experts, training and certification of over 30 national experts from over 25 countries, technical assistance to 8 countries using the innovation framework, 10 national workshops with multi-stakeholders participation from over 500 participants, etc..

ITU hosted a series of private-sector chief regulatory officer (CRO) meetings that brought together senior industry executives to share experiences and exchange ideas on how to strengthen private-sector involvement and engagement and identify mechanisms for better fostering an enabling regulatory environment for the future ICT development. From 2014 to 2017, some 150 representatives from over 50 entities and associations, ranging from operators to service providers and manufacturers, participated in CRO meetings.

To support resource mobilization efforts and to identify potential partners for ITU-D projects, BDT has created various products and tools, including databases on partners, partnership agreements and websites for sponsorship opportunities. For example, 42 new partnership agreements were signed in 2014, 68 in 2015, 29 in 2016, and 58 in 2017. From 2014 to July 2017, 40 new Sector Members, five Associates and over 90 Academia members joined the ITU-D Sector. By July 2017, the ITU-D Sector comprised 321 Sector Members, 11 Associates and 144 Academia members.

 

​​​[84] WTDC Res 1, 5, 30, 33, 50, 59, 71, 157 ; PP Dec. 5, 13 ; PP Res. 25, 71, 72 ; WSIS Action Lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and “Financial mechanism for meeting the challenges of ICT for development” of the Tunis Agenda; SDG Targets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17​