Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed colleagues, and friends, I am delighted to welcome you all to the World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Symposium 2023.
This is the 18th edition of WTIS, and the first in-person since 2018.
I warmly welcome all participants here and the 100 plus remote participants around the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Two weeks ago, we held the Telecommunication Development Advisory Group (TDAG) meeting, here in Geneva. That meeting focussed on BDT4Impact, our dynamic vision for sustainable digital transformation and universal connectivity.
The data we collect and analyse make an immense contribution to the BDT4Impact we want. It's undeniable that data drives development.
I must add that relevant, actionable, timely, accurate data transforms our capability.
Data explains, justifies, and persuades. It gives us direction and focus on plans affecting millions of people around the world.
Universal and meaningful connectivity is a key step to global digital transformation. As our theme this year, it is a policy imperative and a measurement challenge.
This goal needs statistics—and your efforts. We cannot achieve what we cannot measure.
This is the global forum to talk about how that happens. Here, WTIS takes stock and looks to the future.
We will discuss data collection. We will see innovation in granular, timelier, and more accurate measurement, and how mobile phone data, open data, and even Artificial Intelligence hold the potential to revolutionize the field of ICT statistics.
My hope is that WTIS helps mainstream, scale up and improve these solutions.
I want us to talk about practical steps, about how we operationalize our efforts to ensure on the ground impact in this focus on universal and meaningful connectivity.
Firstly, for us to succeed, we must believe in Partnerships.
In this context, I'm very pleased to announce a new partnership with the World Bank on mobile phone data. Tomorrow, we will highlight this with Trevor Monroe, who is representing the World Bank here, during the session on mobile phone big data.
Trevor, thank you indeed. We look forward to deeper collaboration between ITU and the World Bank beyond this new initiative.
I must at this point acknowledge, and mention that in April this year, the BDT and the European Commission announced a new project to promote as well as, on measuring universal and meaningful connectivity.
This 3-year, 3-million-euro programme carries 3 workstreams around advocacy, measurement, and research.
We will hear more details about this project in the next session and I want to thank the European Commission (EC) for this partnership and commitment.
Secondly, digital tools can make a big difference.
As part of our project with the EC, I am very pleased to announce the release today of the dashboard for universal and meaningful connectivity. Through simple visualization and tables, the dashboard allows to track progress of countries towards the Universal and Meaningful connectivity targets launched last year.
You will learn about the dashboard from my colleagues tomorrow morning. Please take a moment to review this tool and give us feedback so we may improve it.
Tools like this are significant. They facilitate access and interpretation of our data. They accelerate our decision-making and drive us move towards impact.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Finally, let me briefly touch on the ICT Development Index - IDI.
Tomorrow, we will report on the progress towards resuming the ICT Development Index after a pause of six years.
Next month, we will seek approval of Member States to adopt the index methodology developed over the past few months in consultation with experts and Member States, in accordance with ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2022, Resolution 131.
I hope and remain optimistic, that a new IDI is possible before the end of this year. Let us work collaboratively to make this possible. You may recall that the IDI was last published in 2017. I think you have waited long enough.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As I conclude, we all agree that we have barely scratched the surface in using data. It is no longer simply a by-product of our digital lives.
Rather, to me, it offers a compelling path—within touching distance—to transform our future.
The ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau is here to assist you with tools, technical assistance, and capacity building.
For me, WTIS means measurements and indicators, but it also means sharing, innovation and commitment, something you have successfully done over the past 17 editions.
Let me share some great news before I retire the mic. Following some consultations, I am pleased to announce that it is proposed that this year's edition of WTIS is chaired by Mr. Bernard Banda from Zambia's Information and Communications Technology Authority.
I would like to request you all to endorse his appointment by acclamation.
Thank you.
Turning to our Chair, on behalf of all the participants, thank you for accepting this role and for your continued commitment to ICT measurement.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for being part of WTIS-23! Let us ensure that this is not just another meeting, but a meeting of Results that will shape our common future based on our shared vision of sustainable digital transformation and meaningful connectivity.
I wish you a wonderful and productive meeting.
