ATU Regional Web consultation on
WTDC reform process
22nd April 2020
Opening Remarks
Doreen Bogdan-Martin
Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau
International Telecommunication Union
Dear colleagues,
I am delighted to join you today for this ATU Regional Web Consultation on the WTDC reform process, and I thank the ATU Secretary General, John Omo for his kind invitation. Hope you are all well and in good health.
We look forward to fruitful engagement on this very important subject, within the broader landscape of ICT development, and we are glad that the Africa region has taken the initiative to have this timely conversation.
Your views are very critical and will serve as building blocks towards a better WTDC, a better BDT, and, ultimately, a better ITU that can more meaningfully serve you, our members.
The reform of WTDC is not a new subject.
Discussions around the streamlining and refocusing of this conference have been ongoing for some time. As recently as 2019, TDAG members again discussed this topic, and it was then that a decision was taken to have a structured dialogue during the 2020 session of TDAG.
Of course, since then, the disruption created by COVID-19 has necessitated a change of format for many of our meetings.
Given the constrained circumstances, we organized virtual dialogues in March on various subjects ahead of the TDAG in June.
One of those was WTDC reform. The next web dialogue will be held on 30 th April, in 8 days' time.
My team will be very happy to share with you the outcome of the initial web dialogue, which some of you participated in.
Essentially, we view the current situation as a good opportunity to introspect, reflect,
and really ask ourselves if the current format of the WTDC, from first preparations to the actual conference itself, is as effective as it might be.
Do we spend our time optimally?
How much focus is directed to real global developmental challenges and solutions?
And in which ways does the 800+ page outcome report translate our real priorities in ICT development?
Allow me to pause here to highlight the influence of COVID-19. Indeed, this pandemic has affected the whole world negatively but in retrospect it has also heightened the importance of connectivity and the need to urgently close the digital divide. Today, most of us are working and learning from home.
Digital connectivity has inevitably become the key enabler to our work and a hidden hero of this crisis. But what about the 3.6 billion unconnected. They are at the greatest risk of being further left behind.
Right now incredible things are happening on the policy, regulatory and private sector side to maintain and extending connectivity in response to COVID. Let us seize that momentum, as we think of how we can reshape our discussions at WTDC, let us carry with us lessons from the COVID-19 situation, that we collectively have the urgent task to accelerate digital connectivity, connect the unconnected and leave no one behind.
Let's remember unlike any other UN agency we also have sector members - the private sector - we also have academic institutions from around the globe.
Let us ask ourselves - Has the potential of their membership been well leveraged? '
Can we give them a more compelling role and truly bring to the fore their strengths as development partners?
In what way can WTDC attract new and diverse participants, who not only attend the event, but bring real value and new perspectives to the table?
With WTDC serving as the anchor of everything that happens in the Development Sector, the big question we need to ask is this: is our current WTDC 'fit for purpose'?
In 2021, Africa will - for the very first time - host this vital conference.
I am very excited about this prospect, pleased to see the commitment of the Government of Ethiopia at the highest level.
I know that I can count on you as a region to make WTDC 2021 a landmark conference that will create a dynamic new environment for ICT development in years to come.
The discussions in this dialogue today represent a key step forward in shaping WTDC into an attractive forum renowned for its relevant, content-driven nature.
A conference where finance partners are ready to engage and commit their resources to curated projects, and one focused on multistakeholder partnership and collaboration aimed bringing real digital transformation to the lives of people, and nations.
Allow me to challenge you to be bold, be innovative, be creative, and let's keep this conversation going.
I cannot stay with you for the whole meeting but look forward to hearing the outcome of this web dialogue, and to acting on your suggestions and proposals designed to take us where we all want to be.
I want to take this opportunity to introduce to you my colleague, Stephen Bereaux, who has recently joined ITU as BDT Deputy Director.
Stephen will participate in this meeting to provide support, and also to respond to any questions that may require clarification on the part of the Secretariat.
I also want to introduce to you someone you all know well, Rachel Alwala. She is now part of TEAM ITU. While she remains working from Kenya, she will soon be with us in Geneva as our coordination officer.
And of course, you all know our regional director Andrew Rugege who is also with us for the dialogue.
With that let me wish you fruitful deliberations.
Back over to you Secretary General.
Thank you.
