​​​​​​​​

The aim of the Inter-Regional Meetings is to foster inter-regional discussions and identify common positions and agreement on key issues ahead of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) which will take place in 2022. IRMs will strengthen the preparatory process, which will focus on defining regional priorities and initiatives, revising or drafting resolutions, addressing study groups and study Questions related matters and developing guidelines and text for the Declaration. Members are reminded that these matters are also being discussed within the TDAG Working Group on Resolutions, Declaration and Thematic Priorities (TDAG-WG-RDTP). Details of these meetings are available on the TDAG-WG-RDTP webpage .

IRMs will further help make WTDC an action-oriented conference to develop a shared understanding of existing barriers and advancing effective, sustainable and innovative solutions for the expansion of meaningful connectivity for everyone, everywhere.

In line with the TDAG recommendation, three Inter-regional Meetings will be held, as far as possible, back-to-back with Regional Preparatory Meetings (RPMs) or other events. The following dates have been retained:

IRMs are open to all ITU-D membership. Member States are encouraged to include in their delegations representatives from regulators, policy-makers, civil society, academia, Internet technical community, youth, gender equality organizations, and others.

IRM agendas will be built around key discussi​ons taking place during RPMs, and may include proposals from Member States, Sector Members, Regional Telecommunication Organizations (RTOs), BDT and other stakeholders. Discussions will focus on key topics that require coordination and consensus between the different regions. A draft agenda for IRM-1 will be circulated towards the end of January, following the RPM for Europe (RPM-EUR).

Following TDAG's recommendations, the Chairman-designate of WTDC has been invited to chair the three IRMs, and six vice-chairmen are to be appointed, one nominated by each of the respective RTOs. Each RTO is also invited to identify the representative(s) of their choice to speak on behalf of their region.

• The Working Group recommends a minimum of two and a maximum of three Inter-regional Meetings. The Working group also recommends that the IRMs be held back-to-back with RPMs, subject to further discussion among the RTOs, in consultation and coordination with the BDT.
• The recommendation of the Group is that IRMs should, to the extent possible, facilitate in person and remote participation, on an equal footing, and should seek to come to a common position on key issues to be discussed at WTDC, while respecting the sovereign right of any Member State to submit its own contributions to WTDC.
• The Group recommends that the agenda be built around the proposals from RPMs, and also include proposals from Member States, Sector Members, RTOs, BDT and other stakeholders, as appropriate, covering key topics that need coordination and consensus between the different regions.
• Based on the proposal by the Working Group, TDAG-20/3 decided that participation to IRMs will be open to all ITU-D membership and that each RTO should decide who speaks on behalf of their region. Speakers can, for example, include government representatives, regulators, policy makers, civil society, academia, Internet technical community, youth, gender equality organizations, and others.
• The Group proposes that there be one chairman, preferably the chairman of WTDC, and six vice-chairs, preferably those that are responsible for the coordination of the preparatory process for WTDC in their respective RTO.
• The recommendation of the Group is that best practice (in terms of preparations) from other ITU conferences be incorporated into the planning and work of IRMs. With regard to coordination between RPMs and IRMs and RTOs: each region would appoint its coordinators, while the secretariat of the RTOs would be allowed to play an overall coordinating role.
• The regional preparatory process should focus on defining regional priorities/initiatives, revising or drafting time-consuming resolutions, addressing study groups and study Questions related matters and developing guidelines and text for the Declaration.
• The Working Group encourages TDAG-20/3 to recommend appropriate mechanisms to promote the WTDC among ITU membership, within the UN System, international financial institutions, and all relevant stakeholders.

​To facilitate the preparatory process and the revision of existing texts, such as Resolutions, and study group Questions, an interim Conference Proposal Interface (CPI) has been set up. This system allows membership to submit revisions and new text, and to view and amend other Members' proposals and is intended to be an important tool towards consensus building prior to WTDC​.

​Proposals will be submitted to a generic Inter-Regional Meeting and will be made available to all membership to browse and peruse.​ 

• Conference Proposals Interface ​(CPI) for IRM
• Submitted proposals
• User Guide​​