Page 2 - BDT Year in Review 2019 - On the road to digital transformation through meaningful connectivity

Letter to our Members

Dear Members and friends of ICT development,

Welcome to the first edition of the 2019 Year in Review.

Building an inclusive sustainable digital future for all. Digital technologies have advanced more rapidly than any
innovation in our history. Today more than half of the world’s population is connected, but that means that
3.6 billion people are not and remain cut off from the benefits of the digital era.

Since I took office as Director of the ITU Telecommunication
Development Bureau (BDT), my number one priority has been
advancing digital transformation through meaningful
connectivity.

Meaningful connectivity translates as affordable, reliable,
accessible, fast and safe connections that enable those online
to benefit from the full power and potential of the online world.
Digital transformation is relevant and user-empowering. It
brings change. It is inclusive and people-centric. It embraces diversity.

Meaningful connectivity is key to achieve digital transformation. We need to enable and unlock the digital
transformation of people, communities, especially in remote areas of the world, and societies. Through this
transformation, we can have a positive impact on people's lives and achieve socio-economic development
for all.

Partnering for digital transformation. Today's digital era needs strong collaboration based around
cooperation, resource-sharing and win-win-win arrangements that benefit governments, industry and users.
A more holistic ‘whole-of-government’ approach, in which technology is viewed as a basic enabling service
that benefits all, is fundamental. Now is the time to base our new strategies around collaboration,
cooperation and sharing. I look forward to embracing this new collaborative fora during our preparations for
WTDC-21. Additionally, we will continue to build and strengthen our partnerships with other UN
organizations to provide ICT development assistance and adopt a “one UN” approach for a more coherent
and better-coordinated way at the country level.

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2020 marks the 75 Anniversary of the United Nations and digital technologies are a key agenda issue. We
will join the biggest ever global conversation to ensure effective cooperation across borders, sectors and
generations to narrow the gender gap in digital transformation and ensure no one is left behind.

Leveraging change for impact. To advance digital transformation for all we need to change the way we
operate, think and create. Earlier this year, we began a journey of change to create a BDT that is
“Fit4Purpose” and responds with impact and results, to your needs - the needs of our Members. A BDT that
is “Fit4Purpose” is able to sustainably support and deliver a more meaningfully connected world. I am
committed to creating a more streamlined, focused, “Fit4Purpose” development bureau, whose agility can
keep pace with the fast-changing industry it serves.

This review details the operational changes we made to ensure that we can effectively fulfil our mandate and
it presents some of the key results from 2019.

I look forward to continuing our work with all our Members and I hope that we can all work together to
strengthen the impact of our work and ensure that we implement the Buenos Aires Action Plan with tangible
results that improve the lives of the people we serve.

On behalf of BDT, thank you for your continued support and confidence.
BDT 2019 Year in Review: Road towards Digital Transformation through Meaningful Connectivity
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