My message for UN Day: Let’s engage proactively for human-centered digital development

By Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General

Human dignity is the basis of all fundamental rights, in both the physical and digital worlds.

Celebrations of United Nations Day highlight how we translate these words into action in today’s fast-moving world, with a particular focus this year on establishing “dignity for all in practice”.

Digital technologies are increasingly at the centre of such practical applications, whether for UN agencies, governments, forward-looking companies, or anyone committed to ensuring a sustainable global future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for universal and meaningful Internet connectivity – to support livelihoods, employment, health and well-being, and enable education and social participation.

More than 1.5 billion people have come online in the last five years. Yet 2.7 billion people – one-third of humanity – remain unconnected, excluded from information and opportunities.

Many of them live in the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, or small island developing states, or in rural and remote areas. Typically, these are society’s most vulnerable – people living in poverty, minorities, displaced persons, persons with disabilities, older persons, indigenous and marginalized groups, and women and children.

Digital inequalities reflect larger inequalities. Now more than ever, leaving no-one behind means leaving no-one offline.

To achieve this, we must find new ways to overcome connectivity barriers. We must also level up affordable technology access and empower people with digital skills.

This kind of change requires a holistic, whole-of-society approach – pulling all parties together, galvanizing resources, and monitoring our collective progress.

The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-22) that took place in Bucharest, Romania, between 26 September and 14 October, demonstrated our collective commitment to universal and affordable connectivity.

This is ITU’s mandate:

• Harmonizing the use of radio-frequency spectrum, including for satellite orbits.
• Coordinating standardization to ensure seamless interconnection and interoperability.
• Driving equitable digital development, mobilizing partnerships, and extending the benefits of technologies to all.

Driving sustainable digital transformation

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, encourages and appreciates innovation. In his message to PP-22, he urged participants from the public and private sectors to “seize the opportunities of digital technology while protecting against its risks,” and to keep “humanity’s progress at the centre.”

ITU — as the UN specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs) – fosters inclusive connectivity and cybersecurity, reflecting key ongoing Action Lines of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to maximize technology access and connect the unconnected.

This makes ITU an agency not only for technologies and services, but also for sustainable digital development. While embracing this evolving role, ITU has launched joint projects and strengthened its cooperation with many other UN agencies.

During PP-22, the UN Secretary-General’s Tech Envoy, Amandeep Singh Gill, underscored the importance of “consulting the ITU family” on the Global Digital Compact.

Together with the Tech Envoy, we must shape the digital commons for everyone’s benefit – today and in future generations.

The Transforming Education Summit, organized by UNESCO and UNICEF on 19 September, put a spotlight on Giga – the ITU-UNICEF initiative to connect every school to the Internet.

Today, ICTs can help put the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track, particularly after setbacks related to COVID-19. For ITU, this means connecting everyone to the Internet by 2030 and continuing to promote emerging technologies to that are needed to meet global sustainable development targets.

Mobilizing cooperation across sectors

Earlier this year, ITU’s World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly examined inclusive technical standards.

In June, ITU’s latest World Telecommunication Development Conference launched new partnerships inspired by the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation.

Next year brings ITU’s World Radiocommunication Conference – our platform for updating the Radio Regulations, the international treaty governing the global use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits.

Cooperation on radiocommunication, technology standardization, and digital development has never been so critical.

The UN Secretary-General, emphasizing how “digital transformation and connectivity are critical to rescuing the Sustainable Development Goals,” has asked for ITU’s collaboration with sister UN agencies “to leverage digital technologies in support of the SDGs.”

ITU looks forward to engaging with other UN agencies and with partners and stakeholders worldwide. I’m confident ITU’s incoming leadership team for 2023-2027 will take this on proactively – to promote rapid digital transformation that is inclusive, sustainable, and, of course, human-centred.

Adapted from Houlin Zhao’s statement to the UN General Assembly’s Second Committee session on 7 October 2022 on information and communication technologies for sustainable development.