Doreen Bogdan-Martin
Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
introduces António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations (UN),
at ITU Council 2024
[As prepared for delivery]
It is my distinct honour and pleasure to welcome United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres to ITU.
This is an historic visit.
The last UN Secretary-General to address the ITU Council was Dag Hammarskjöld − 71 years ago.
It was a different world back then.
There were only two women delegates in the room.
There was no Internet.
And artificial intelligence (AI) was the stuff of science fiction.
Today, we have a UN Secretary-General who speaks our language.
An engineer who has taught telecommunications.
Someone who understands the opportunities and challenges of modern technology − and has made digital a top priority.
Mr Secretary-General,
ITU supported your vision when you launched the High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation — a panel created before the pandemic showed the critical importance of global digital connectivity and cooperation.
And we've been there ever since — contributing to key initiatives and processes, including the current Global Digital Compact.
As the UN agency for digital technologies, ITU stands ready to play a key role in the implementation of the Compact.
Our work on radio, standards, and digital development has been making global communications possible for nearly 160 years.
Universal connectivity and sustainable digital transformation are at the heart of our Strategic Plan.
Together with our soon-to-be 194 Member States − because today, I'm pleased to share the good news that Palau has embarked on the process of becoming ITU's newest Member State.
And with over 1000 industry and academia members − we tackle some of the biggest challenges of our times — from connectivity to cybersecurity, space to AI, and from climate change to sustainability.
These topics are in focus at this ITU Council − where our Members commended the success of the WSIS Forum and the AI for Good Global Summit that just concluded.
These multistakeholder fora give developing countries and the digital community an equal seat at the table.
With the Summit of the Future just over 100 days away, and the 20-year review of WSIS by the General Assembly next year, we are in a race against time: to harness the potential of emerging technologies like AI and minimize their risks; to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and to leave no one behind in a world where 2.6 billion people are still offline.
This digital moment is also a UN moment.
A moment to leverage and adapt the time-tested framework offered by WSIS.
A moment to strengthen our partnerships in key areas such as early warnings, gender equality, and combatting disinformation.
And a moment to reignite global responsibility and solidarity, including in the digital world.
As you can see, Mr Secretary-General, ITU is fully engaged in building a better digital present and future.
And we won't stop until digital equality and opportunity are a reality for everyone, everywhere.
Thank you for being here during ITU Council, where we've been transforming your vision of digital cooperation into action.
Together, let's redouble our efforts to deliver the SDGs by the end of this critical decade.
Excellencies, ITU Councillors, ladies and gentlemen,
Please welcome UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Also read the
UN Secretary-General's remarks to ITU Council.
