78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Summit of the Future Ministerial Meeting
Statement by ITU Secretary-General
21 September 2023
The Summit of the Future is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to chart a new course for humanity – one grounded in the realization of our common objectives laid out in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Time is of the essence.
We must double down on digital, focusing our efforts in three key areas:
- Achieving universal connectivity;
- Promoting sustainable digital transformation; and
- Strengthening global digital cooperation.
As the UN agency for digital technologies, ITU is committed to making progress on all these fronts.
With 5.4 billion people now online, our latest data (newly released) show that the number of people worldwide not connected to the Internet decreased in 2023.
Still, an estimated 2.6 billion people remain unconnected.
We won't rest until we live in a world where affordable, safe and meaningful connectivity is a lived reality for all — including women, who account for a disproportionate and growing share of the global offline population
This means investing in digital skills and other key areas.
It also means ensuring that emerging technologies like AI are developed and deployed in a safe and responsible manner.
Because, as UN Secretary-General Guterres made clear in his address to the General Assembly earlier this week: Many of the dangers of digital technology are not looming — they are here.
Even as digital can accelerate the global transition to net zero emissions, we must also ensure that we capture and address its growing carbon footprint.
That's why sustainable digital transformation is one of ITU's strategic priorities.
These challenges require all stakeholders to work together.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and its follow-up process, like the Internet Governance Forum and WSIS Forum, have an important role to play — as recognized by the recent message shared by the co-facilitators of the UN Global Digital Compact.
They convene and facilitate the most comprehensive conversations by the international multi-stakeholder community on digital technologies and their impact on society.
The Summit of the Future is an opportunity to align the outcomes of the Compact with the WSIS+20 Review process to take place in 2025.
As the world agrees on a vision for our shared digital future, let's remember that digital solutions can accelerate progress in climate action, education, hunger, poverty and 70% of the SDG targets.
These solutions are at the heart of the SDG Digital Acceleration Agenda launched by ITU and UNDP ahead of the SDG Summit.
Let's make digital an integral part of the global SDG rescue plan called for by the UN Secretary-General, not because we are running out of time, but because we believe in a future where digital is more than a word — it is a catalyst for progress… and for all humanity.
Thank you.
