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ITU’s Enhanced Regional Presence in South Asia for Inclusive and Sustainable Digital Transformation


The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) opened the ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre on 22 March 2023 in New Delhi, India. The ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre aims to strengthen technology cooperation and boost regional telecommunications development. Through the presence, ITU hopes to advance shared regional priorities, such as reducing disparities between developing and developed countries in terms of Internet access, digital skills, and other socio-economic indicators after the COVID-19 pandemic. The new ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre brings together government, industry, academia and others in an entrepreneurial environment so that digital technology advancements in sectors such as agriculture, health, and education can reach the communities that need them most. From India's national capital, the new office will implement ITU initiatives and provide technical assistance and policy guidance on information and communication technologies (ICTs) in South Asia. The ITU South Asia team will focus on setting up an Innovation Centre for exchanges of ideas, promoting advanced technologies, contributing to the development of ICT/telecommunication networks and services in South Asia, and implementing other activities related to ITU's mandate to connect the world and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Read the Press Release Watch the recorded livestream of the event
Background
India and ITU signed a Host Country Agreement (HCA) in March 2022 for the establishment of an Area Office and Innovation Centre in India. The ITU Area Office in India has an embedded Innovation Centre that sets it apart from other offices. The location of the Area Office and Innovation Centre is on the second floor of the existing building of the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) at Mehrauli, New Delhi. ITU regional and area offices report to the Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau. According to Ms. Atsuko Okuda, Regional Director of ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, “As countries in the region are emerging from socioeconomic challenges, there is a high expectation that digital innovation will accelerate economic growth and inclusive and sustainable development. There is no better place than India which can showcase how digital innovation and its ecosystem are driving qualitative transformation in society and economy. We look forward to active engagement with ITU members and partners through the Area Office and Innovation Centre.”
Area Office
It is hoped that the ITU Area Office in India will enable ITU to better serve its membership in Asia and the Pacific and it will focus specifically on:
Promoting the introduction of advanced technologies Contributing to the development of ICT/telecommunication networks and services in South Asia Providing technical assistance in relation to infrastructure, e-governance, and cross-sectoral ICT applications Assisting with human resources and capacity development Conducting other activities related to ITU's mandate to connect the world and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Innovation Centre
The Innovation Center will serve as a platform for exchanges of ideas, success stories, innovative solutions, and global endeavors, aimed at accelerating digital transformation and promoting inclusive sustainable development in the region. To achieve this mission, the Innovation Centre will engage with stakeholders in four strategic objectives:
Strategic foresight, Open technology innovation, Growth of SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) and Entrepreneurship and Policy experimentation.
For more information, please contact itu-ro-asiapacific@itu.int.
About ITU
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), driving innovation in ICTs together with 193 Member States and a membership of over 900 companies, universities, and international and regional organizations. Established over 150 years ago, ITU is the intergovernmental body responsible for coordinating the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoting international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, improving communication infrastructure in the developing world, and establishing the worldwide standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communications systems. From broadband networks to cutting-edge wireless technologies, aeronautical and maritime navigation, radio astronomy, oceanographic and satellite-based earth monitoring as well as converging fixed-mobile phone, Internet and broadcasting technologies, ITU is committed to connecting the world. For more information, visit: www.itu.int

Additonal Information and Related News

WEBCAST

Inauguration of ITU Area office and Innovation Centre at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi

22 March 2023 12:30 PM (GMT +05:30)

Watch the recorded livestream of the event at https://webcast.gov.in/dot

Pictures and Social Media

ITU Opening Ceremony