Your Excellency, Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta, Silvio Schembri, Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, honourable ministers from around the world, our partners, distinguished participants, innovators, good morning!
It is my pleasure to welcome you all to our third edition of the Global Innovation Forum. I’m sure it is going to be an inspirational few days, and a highly productive forum. I would like to thank the Government of Malta, through the Ministry for Economy, Enterprise, and Strategic Projects for hosting the forum and for showing such exemplary commitment to global innovation.
In September this year, world leaders signed a Pact for the Future, affirming that rapid advances in science and technology can deliver a better, more peaceful, prosperous and fairer future. They agreed on a Global Digital Compact to harness the potential of that technology, as well as a Declaration on Future Generations to ensure their interests are represented in all forms of governance.
The Global Innovation summit is very much in the spirit of the Pact for the Future. This year’s theme is “Shaping our Digital Futures for Prosperity and Well-Being for All”. This Forum presents to you, as policymakers, business leaders and innovators, a unique opportunity to contribute towards the shaping digital future we want.
We appreciate your presence here. You have come with ideas to discuss, insights to share and questions to ask. I have no doubt that among us, we will find answers to those questions. From transformative policy ideas to best practice in supporting startups and SMEs growth, from nurturing innovative digital clusters to connecting them to global innovation networks, many of you have invaluable expertise to share and we all look forward to listening to you.
Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, this Global Innovation Forum opens doors for us to foster collaboration across the global community, bringing together innovators, policymakers, and leaders to accelerate digital transformation and create prosperity for all. The path to achieving digital well-being begins with the actions we take here today.
As you know, ITU is committed to digital innovation for all. This forum is also an opportunity to engage with ITU’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development Board members who are among us, you may recall that I launched this Alliance early last year in an attempt to close the innovation gap.
The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance has two main planks, the Network of Acceleration Centres and its Digital Innovation Board. I want to thank all the Board members and representatives of Acceleration Centres for their great work which is already making impact across the globe. Collectively, the goal is to strengthen countries’ capabilities to integrate ICT innovation into national development agendas and to build human and institutional capabilities at the country level where it is most relevant and sustainable.
To the same end, it is essential that we leverage global and regional partnerships to foster cooperation between countries and that is why we are here in Malta together.
Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, we could have no better host, because Malta is a champion of digital transformation through innovation. Malta’s startup ecosystem has seen remarkable transformation in recent years, emerging as a dynamic player in the regional and global innovation landscape.
I can particularly commend the Malta AI Strategy, as well as advancements in fibre internet and mobile connectivity in this country, with SME funding support from the likes of Malta Development Bank. There is also impressive talent development at higher learning institutions in Malta, with entrepreneurial support from local accelerators. I’d also like to mention that Malta is leading the way in Child Online Protection. Last year, ITU and the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society signed a Joint Declaration on this theme, so overall, we could not ask for a better location for the Global Innovation Forum.
There are many exciting initiatives represented at our forum. I would particularly like to draw attention to two.
The Generation Connect Young Leadership Programme is a partnership with Huawei, through which ITU is engaging, empowering and inspiring young digital leaders and changemakers. In the first cohort, ITU has already supported 30 young individuals through this programme.
I also want to note our partnership with Ernst & Young, through which we are providing a skills accelerator in artificial intelligence for young women around the world, including a workshop here tomorrow as part of the Global Innovation Forum, since Malta is the country that has been selected to represent Europe in this worldwide initiative. So, I would like to thank Ernst & Young for making it possible.
Ladies and gentlemen, such partnerships are the best tools we have to shape our digital future and ensure that it brings prosperity and well-being for all. I hope you will all take advantage of the opportunities presented by this forum to take forward these and other partnerships. Whether you are a policymaker or an academic, a regulator or an entrepreneur, a venture capitalist or a digital changemaker, this forum is for you.
It is your opportunity to play a part in shaping the future today, so the whole world can reap the benefits for a better tomorrow.
Thank you again for being part of this!
