Introduction to TDAG Web Dialogue on WTDC
Doreen, Bogdan-Martin
Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU
Dear participants,
Welcome, and thank you for making the effort to join us remotely in this most extraordinary of times. The COVID-19 global health emergency has turned our world upside down. We are all facing many new challenges, and many are having to shoulder additional burdens. And yet we must remember that the important work of our group needs to continue, as normally as possible, as we begin our preparations for what I believe will be a landmark WTDC 2021.
The postponement of the TDAG meeting affords us the possibility of embarking on informal discussions on a number topics that are of utmost importance to the work of the Development Sector going forward: the reform of the World Telecommunication Development Conference, the new ITU Index, and the ITU-D Regional Presence.
We are fortunate to have at our disposal some powerful online collaboration tools. Nonetheless, in moving entirely to remote participation platforms, we are breaking new ground. I hope technology enables today's Web Dialogue to run smoothly, but if we encounter a few glitches, please bear with us. It's a learning curve, and our expert remote participation team is on hand to try to resolve any immediate issues as fast as possible. They'll also be taking note of our needs and suggesting new tools and collaboration procedures that will help facilitate our discussions going forward.
For today's Web Dialogue, we will focus on the forthcoming World Telecommunication Development Conference. And as we look to 2021, it is important to remember where we came from, where we are today, and where we want to go.
Since its earliest days, when the conference focused on a tightly limited set of activities, our agenda has bloated. The first WTDC in 1994 produced a 166-page report that contained 11 Resolutions, 2 Recommendations and no regional initiatives. 23 years on, the Buenos Aires WTDC delivered an 800- page report comprising 66 Resolutions, 5 Recommendations and 30 regional initiatives.
What are the areas where we can be more efficient?
The first is our texts. Are we really using our time well in negotiating lengthy Resolutions that can sometimes be too vague to implement?
The second is funding. We adopt our Resolutions without necessarily ensuring we have the right resources to make them a reality. Can we be more disciplined in our thinking and ensure we clearly identify implementable strategies to raise the funds needed to make these actions happen?
The third is focus. Are we spreading ourselves much too thinly? Can we better prioritize our actions, to make our work much more effective?
The fourth is better coordination - within and across regions before, during and after the conference.
And the fifth is a new focus on partnerships. We are not the only organization working on digital issues. We cannot do it alone.
We need an agenda that is dynamic, and focused, with a conference process that attracts decision-makers at the highest level.
We need to reach out to new audiences and participants, particularly from the private sector, who can work beside us to help us make our ambitious development goals a reality.
Right now, we have companies seeking our guidance on how they can play a meaningful role in the Decade of Action to meet the SDGs. We need to give these willing partners clear and attractive propositions for collaboration.
How can we learn from others? Other UN agencies have been very successful at reshaping old structures into more dynamic frameworks that encourage multi-stakeholder collaboration - UNHCR's pledging conference last December, for example, raised US$1.2 billion in support for global refugee programmes. Many governments and private sector players understand the vital importance of improved global connectivity. We need to make it much easier for them to work with us.
Dear colleagues,
The COVID-19 emergency has highlighted, as nothing else could, the vital importance of getting the world connected. This is our opportunity to place WTCD on the global agenda of top global development conferences.
By having the courage to make bold reforms, we have the chance to transform WTDC into a must-attend event on the global calendar. Into an event that attracts not just world leaders but donor organizations and private sector partners eager to share our dream of a connected planet, and work alongside us to make it a happen.
This is our big chance. We are still a year-and-a-half away from the conference. Given the will, we have enough time to make whatever changes membership believes are necessary to create a fit-for-purpose WTCD to meet the challenges of this coming decade, and beyond.
Today's dialogue will kick-start these discussions. The BDT Secretariat is here to listen to you and facilitate your discussions.
I encourage you all to be audacious, and to be fearless. To bring fresh ideas, and to challenge old ones. I look forward very much to hearing your views!
