By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) has opened the seventh World
Telecommunication/ICT Policy Forum (WTPF-26) in Nassau, The Bahamas, bringing
governments and technology stakeholders together to build consensus on policies
for a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable digital future.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen
Bogdan-Martin said the forum marks the first time the WTPF has been hosted by a
small island developing state, with Randol Dorsett serving as Chair.
The forum is taking place in
The Bahamas, an archipelago of nearly 700 islands and cays, providing a setting
that highlights the importance of meaningful connectivity for communities
exposed to unique geographic and climate challenges.
Bogdan-Martin pointed to the
role of digital connectivity in supporting early warning systems that can alert
families ahead of storms, satellite links that connect remote health facilities
with specialists in the capital, and resilient subsea cable networks that
enable schools and small businesses to connect with the wider world.
Discussions at WTPF-26 are
focusing on bridging digital divides, green digital transformation, resilience
of telecommunications and ICT systems, space connectivity, and ICT-centred
innovation ecosystems.
The Secretary-General said
the forum provides an opportunity for countries to build consensus around
digital challenges affecting people and economies globally, from small island
states to large continents.
She called for the
collaborative spirit of the forum to continue throughout the week as
participants work towards technology policies capable of supporting a digital
future that benefits people and the planet.
The forum brings together
stakeholders from government, regulators and the broader technology ecosystem,
including Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis, Minister of Innovation
and National Development Sebastian Bastian, and the Utilities Regulation and
Competition Authority (URCA).
