In 2017, ITU-T recorded nine new Sector memberships and 21 new Associate memberships, resulting in a net increase of 14 new memberships. Members from industry sectors, such as the automotive industry, insurance industry and financial services industry, are joining ITU-T
T.2-1 Bridging the standardization gap (e.g. remote participation, fellowships, establishment of regional study groups)
ITU's Bridging the Standardization Gap (BSG) programme [57] improves the capacity of developing countries to participate in the development and implementation of international ICT standards.
Leadership positions: delegates from developing countries hold 39% of ITU-T chairmanships, 50% of co-chairmanships, and 67% of the total number of co-chairmanships and vice-chairmanships.
Regional Groups within ITU-T Study Groups have proven effective mechanisms in bridging the standardization gap by stimulating effective participation in ITU-T Study Groups and increasing the number and quality of Contributions from the various regions [58]. In 2018, ITU will celebrate 50 years of the existence of ITU-T Regional Groups. ITU-T has, as of January 2018, 23 regional groups.
National Standardization Secretariat (NSS): TSB is leading efforts to improve the capacity of developing countries to participate in the development and implementation of ICT standards. The guidelines on the establishment of NSS developed in 2013 are currently under review. After Zambia in 2015, TSB will support, in 2018, the implementation of NSS in Malaysia, India, and Mongolia.
Fellowships continue to be awarded to delegates from certain eligible countries. A total of 571 fellowships were awarded to developing and low-income countries from 2014 to 2017 [59].[
TSB continues to improve electronic meeting facilities [60].
T.2-2 Workshops and seminars, including offline and online training activities, complementing the capacity-building work on bridging the standardization gap undertaken in ITU-D
In 2016, ITU-T introduced the
BSG Hands-On Study Group effectiveness sessions under Resolution 44 (WTSA-16). The training focuses on the development of practical skills to maximize the effectiveness of developing countries' participation in the ITU-T standardization process. Since 2016, the BSG team conducted over twenty hands-on sessions for over 400 delegates representing some 75 countries and 90 organizations [61].
T.2-3 Outreach and promotion
Regional standardization forums (RSF) are open events at which government, academic and private sector experts share their knowledge and expectations on emerging trends in standardization including themes such as human exposure to EMF, QoS, smart water management, international mobile roaming, mobile financial services, digital identity, big data, and security and trust. 13 RSF were held since March 2015, including three in Africa, two in the Americas, four in Asia, three in the Arab region and one in the CIS. The First Interregional Standardization Forum (ISF) was held for Arab and African regions in November 2017.
Regional economic and financial Forums are held back-to-back with ITU-T SG3 Regional Groups. Every year, four such forums are held in Africa, Asia and Oceania, the Arab States, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
[57] WTSA Resolution 44
[58] WTSA Resolution 44, WTSA Resolution 54; WSIS Action Lines C3, C4, C11; SDG Targets 9.5, 10.6, 17.6
[59] WTSA Resolution 44; WSIS Action Line C4; SDG Targets 4.B, 9.5, 10.6, 17.6
[60] WTSA Resolution 32; WSIS Action Line C4; SDG Targets 10.6, 17.6
[61] WTSA Resolutions 18, 44; WSIS Action Line C4; SDG Targets 9.5, 10.6, 17.6
