The recently concluded ITU’s 2018 Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-18) laid emphasis on three things – Foster the potential of emerging technologies for digital transformation; promote business and investment models to support digital transformation; and enable policy and regulatory approaches for continued innovation and progress.
More than 600 participants from over 120 countries, including government ministers, regulators, representatives from the private sector and academic institutions participated in this years conference held in Geneva, Switzerland. This years session was chaired by Sorin Grindeanu, President of the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM), Romania.
“Ensuring that digital transformation benefits everyone, everywhere is a defining challenge of the twenty-first century,” said Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General.
“ITU’s Global Symposium for Regulators plays an important role in this process. It supports regulators to identify policies that create strong enabling environments where ICTs can be leveraged for the maximum benefit of all – and attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” added Zhao.
Grindeanu said, “The newly adopted guidelines will allow us to respond to the changing landscape, to address the continuing need for secure and reliable ICT infrastructure and affordable access to and delivery of digital services – as well as to protect consumers and maintain trust in ICTs.”
The symposium focused on a wide range of issues, including: emerging technologies for digital transformation, artificial intelligence for development, new regulatory frontiers, digital identity across different platforms, the protection of personal data in a smart data-driven economy, and new sustainable investment models.
“We live in an era of digital transformation that is fundamentally changing our economies and societies, and improving service delivery in many sectors,” said Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau.
“The message that resonates from this GSR is that innovative policy and regulatory measures are needed to respond to the changing ICT landscape and to address the need for affordable and secure access and use of digital services. Regulators need to keep pace with advances in technology and address the new regulatory frontiers,” added Sanou.
The next ITU Global Symposium for Regulators will be held in Vanuatu from 9 to 12 July 2019.
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