Mobile World Congress 2024 Ministerial Programme:
“Steering the Digital Economy"
Keynote
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin
Mr President, Mr Minister, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
We have entered a new era of technological transformation — and it's the fastest yet.
It took the telephone 75 years to reach 50 million users. For the radio, it was 38 years, television 13, and the Internet 4. But it only took two months for ChatGPT to cross the 100-million mark.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has been there every step of the way, accompanying countries on their journey for almost 160 years.
And today, I'm proud to announce that we just crossed a historic threshold: Over 1000 industry and academia members are now part of the ITU family.
Working side by side with 193 Member States, they make ITU a force to be reckoned with in the United Nations (UN) system and the world of tech.
This collaboration among government, industry, and academia is what's needed most right now to steer the digital economy through these turbulent times.
That's what I want to talk about today — the state of this economy, the power of a bold collective goal, and the kind of digital future we want to build together.
First, the state of the digital economy. One number stands out: Over the past decade, the digital economy has grown 2.5 times faster than physical GDP.
Remarkable, isn't it?
Even more remarkable are the stories that power this growth.
Success stories like Rajesh, a rickshaw driver in New Delhi, who grew his business in spectacular ways by pasting a QR within his vehicle and enabling his clients to pay using this QR code.
There are more than 10 billion digital payment transactions like this a month in India.
It's Kunjina, a rising young fashion designer in Addis Ababa. She uses 3D and augmented reality to open her business to new opportunities.
And it's also Mouhamadou, one of our AI for Good Innovation Factory winners last year, who drives climate-smart agriculture practices.
And the results speak for themselves: Cashew farmers using his solution have increased yields by over 200 per cent.
There are so many more examples like Rajesh, Kunjina and Mouhamadou.
There are also new tools out there.
Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) was still very new when I took this stage a year ago.
There are three sessions on Gen AI here at Mobile World Congress just today.
This technology could add 4.4 trillion USD annually to the global economy.
And it's not just AI. 5G could contribute almost 1 trillion USD to the global economy by 2030, positively impacting energy, health care, education and more.
And then, there's the space economy. The mobile industry has started exploring opportunities in space.
The space economy could grow to 1 trillion USD by the end of the decade, opening new economic opportunities right here on Earth.
So, the digital economy is filled with promises.
The question is: who stands to benefit? Who reaps the benefits of the digital economy when one-third of humanity is still offline?
That's 2.6 billion people — 2.6 billion lost opportunities to boost global economic growth.
But even those who are connected can be on the wrong side of the digital divide if 3G is the only way for them to connect to the Internet; If they don't feel safe online; if they don't have the skills to use the latest tools; or if they can't afford them.
When even the most basic entry-level device can exceed 70 per cent of the average household's monthly income, the promise of connectivity is out of reach for too many.
Many among them are women in low- and middle-income countries, where they are 17 per cent less likely than men to own a smartphone.
That gap hasn't changed in seven years.
This holds back the digital economy, especially considering women's crucial role in poverty reduction and economic development — for themselves, their families and their countries.
These challenges are too big for any one player to face alone.
Which brings me to my second point: the power of a bold collective goal.
That's what drives the ITU-led Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, a global multi-stakeholder effort to achieve universal and meaningful connectivity.
Last year, I called on the mobile industry — right here, at Mobile World Congress — to step up.
Today, I'm pleased to announce over 9 billion USD in new commitments.
I want to thank – Etisalat, China Telecom, Ooredoo, and Veon for answering the call.
These commitments will help provide accessible and affordable network connectivity to millions of people in need.
They will deploy and upgrade quality infrastructure that will have a long-term impact on markets and economies across the globe.
Infrastructure investments provide the backbone to deliver on the promise of the digital economy.
The new commitments increase the value of announced investments committed to infrastructure to more than 24 billion USD — raising the total value of Partner2Connect pledges to over 46 billion USD.
This gets us closer to the halfway point toward our target of 100 billion USD by 2026.
Now is the time to redouble our efforts and reach for new heights.
My final point: What kind of digital future we want to build together. Do we want a future where almost 90 per cent of people in high-income countries are covered by 5G networks, but where the service is nearly absent in low-income countries? Do we want a future where artificial intelligence is concentrated in the hands of a few? Or, as GSMA Director General Mats Granryd said this morning on the main stage, do we want a world where connectivity brings us together − where technology opens up possibilities?
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
This is our moment — a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
Game-changing digital solutions, if harnessed properly, can accelerate progress on all the Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN Summit of the Future will open in just over 200 days.
The discussions this week can send a strong message of our commitment to using digital technology to turn the SDGs' vision of leaving no one behind into reality.
Let's strike the right balance between innovation and regulation. Because we need both.
Let's build momentum on the commitments we saw today to drive universal meaningful connectivity.
It is our destiny — and it's within our grasp.
Let's build a digital economy that's inclusive, resilient, and sustainable — and for generations to come.
Thank you.
