ITU Harps on Universal Connectivity, Sustainable Digital Transformation as Strategic Goals to Enhance Digital Lives

Emma Okonji

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations agency that is driving global connectivity has stressed the importance of universal internet connectivity and sustainable digital transformation as part of its strategic goals that will enhance global digital lives.

Secretary-General of the ITU, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, said this in her opening remarks at the UNOG conference in Geneva, Switzerland. ​​    
According to her, “We have two big strategic goals. The first is universal connectivity, and the second is sustainable digital transformation. The goals are ambitious and bold, but we are firmly committed and dedicated to delivery on those goals to enhance digital lives globally.”

Since I took office 14 months ago, I have been very busy. those two goals of universal connectivity and sustainable digital transformation have been my number one priority, Bogdan-Martin further said.

Making reference to international women’s day celebration that took place last week, she explained that she had seen women who can’t afford smartphones, especially women in countries where entry-level handsets can exceed 70 per cent of the average household’s monthly income.

“Women still account for a disproportionate and growing share of the global offline population, outnumbering men by some 20 per cent. In least developed countries, only 30 per cent of women have access to the internet. I’ve met with refugees, I’ve met with migrants, with displaced persons, who rely on internet connectivity for their education, for their healthcare and for their livelihoods.

“And I’ve experienced in my time as ITU Secretary-General, two worlds. I would say one: in high-income countries, where almost 90 per cent of the population is covered by a 5G network − and a much bigger and also poorer world, where service is nearly absent, and when available, it’s not affordable,” Bogdan-Martin said.

Giving more details about global internet connectivity, she explained that the bottom line showed that 2.6 billion people today are not connected, “and have never ever been connected to the internet.”

 This, according to her, is really one of the biggest challenges of our generation, and it comes at a time of both hope, and uncertainty.

She however said hope would continue to play out in the world, given the recent announcement made by ITU at the recently concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, about its new commitment to spend $ 9 billion for accessible and affordable network connectivity through its Partner2Connect Digital Coalition.

“That new commitment, in addition to previous commitments, brings the total to $46 billion, from a target of $100 billion. I think that the new commitment really sends a message of hope to millions of people that are in need, and the hope takes different forms,” she said.

Addressing the issue of emerging technologies, Bogdan-Martin said the same technologies that can harm us, could also help us solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help mitigate 10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. I think that’s quite exciting. The SDG Digital Acceleration Agenda, that we launched a couple of months ago together with our partner, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), shows that digital solutions like AI can help to boost progress on things like climate change, education, poverty, healthcare, and frankly all of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

“I think that’s why digital is such an important part of the conversations that are taking place in Geneva − from the Human Rights Council, to discussions right now happening at ILO (International Labour Organization), in WHO (World Health Organization) and WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization). I won’t name them all, but pretty much every organisation in Geneva, and elsewhere, is focusing on digital in order to enhance global digital lives,” Bogdan-Martin further said.