Plenary Statement by ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin at the Summit of the Future
"OUR FUTURE IS DIGITAL. WE CAN AND MUST WRITE IT TOGETHER."
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Today is a momentous day for digital.
Congratulations to Member States for:
- delivering the Pact for the Future,
- the Declaration on Future Generations,
- and the Global Digital Compact.
Today, you have sent a powerful message to the world that our future is digital — that we can and must write it together.
ITU, as the UN agency for digital technologies, will be with you every step of the way.
We stand ready to support the implementation of the Compact — just as we did 20 years ago with the World Summit on the Information Society.
Now, like then, our common mission is to bridge the digital divides.
Because we can no longer tolerate that in an age of unimaginable digital opportunities.
Where innovation in areas like artificial intelligence and space continues unabated.
One-third of humanity is still unconnected — without a voice.
Nor can we accept that countless others are left behind because, for them, the digital experience:
- isn't affordable enough
-
isn't relevant enough
- or isn't safe enough
And now, like then, we must balance the challenges we face with the opportunities before us.
Today, we say
no to digital inequalities… and
yes to digital opportunities. For ITU, this means:
- Ensuring that the radio-frequency spectrum and associated satellite orbit resources — the building blocks of advanced global communications — are shared equitably and sustainably for all humanity.
- Strengthening international standards at a time when they are taking center stage in global governance discussions.
- And supporting global digital development — from AI to cybersecurity and digital literacy to e-waste and emergency telecommunications — wherever countries are in their digital journey.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
The future of development, the future of humanity, is digital.
As we look to 2030, let's turn the vision of the Pact of the Future and its Global Digital Compact into a lasting reality.
Let's redouble our efforts to advance universal meaningful connectivity and sustainable digital transformation — ITU's two strategic goals and the cornerstones of an inclusive and responsible digital future.
Let's rescue the SDGs with digital.
Thank you.
