Ms. Regina Fleur Assoumou Bessou, Chair of Study Group 1,
Vice Chairs of Study Group 1,
Rapporteurs and Vice Rapporteurs of Study Group 1,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to everyone, both onsite and online, to the second set of Rapporteur Group meetings of ITU-D Study Group 1 for the 2022-2025 period.
Your work continues to remain instrumental to helping us realize the goals of universal meaningful connectivity. And I witnessed this firsthand, when I was in Kazakhstan last month for the RDF for the CIS region where the work of our Study Groups was publicly praised.
I know that Mr. Arseny Plossky, Rapporteur of Question 4/1 who was also there, will confirm this.
I note with great interest the increasing number of participants and contributions (124) to Study Group 1 as well as the growing collaboration between Study Questions in organising workshops during these 2 weeks.
The full day workshop on Transformative Satellite Connectivity organised jointly by Question 1, 3 and 5 promises to be rich in content and I look forward to the outcomes which will augment the final reports of these study Questions.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have already reached the final set of Rapporteur Group meetings and workshops for study period 2022 – 2025! As we move forward toward the successful conclusion of the work of Study Group 1, the TDAG Working Group on the Future of Study Questions has already begun its work, under the leadership of Dr. Sharafat.
I look forward to innovative and pertinent inputs to shape new Questions that address the future ICT development needs of all countries especially for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.
Going forward, as you start thinking about these future Questions, I encourage you to reflect on Artificial Intelligence as an enabler of safe meaningful connectivity and accelerated sustainable development. How does AI change the way we approach universal connectivity, and what can we do to ensure that its seamless integration in all segments of society is safe, improves all our lives and creates a better world for all? This question is on all our minds!
In the Caribbean, for instance, where just last week I attended strategic meetings, what was preoccupying the minds of decision-makers and regulators, beyond connectivity, was the use of artificial intelligence for good in agriculture, education, healthcare, and early warning for disaster risk reduction.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I want to thank you for your active engagement in this unique platform which Study Groups offer – a platform for membership by membership. This is the place where the harmonised yet diverse views and experiences of all ITU-D members are shared and analysed by experts in ITU-D, into guidelines that enable meaningful connectivity from specific perspectives.
I look forward to reading the updated guidelines and practices on these questions, ranging from broadband deployment, broadcasting, emergency telecommunications, economic costs, rural and remote connectivity, consumer protection, to accessibility for persons with disabilities.
I would like to express my great appreciation for the work of the ITU-D Study Group 1 management team under the leadership of Madame Regina Fleur Assoumou Bessou, Chair of Study Group 1.
On this note, I leave you here in the good hands of co-Rapporteurs Ms. Amela and Ms. Mina for the Rapporteur Group meeting of Question 7/1 on ICTs for Accessibility – an evolving topic which addresses inclusion for all, through transformative technologies.
Finally, I would like to take a minute to congratulate our dear colleague, Ms. Sofie Maddens for her new appointment as Chief of Department of the Digital Knowledge Hub.
Let me also remind you to come to our Global Symposium for Regulators, which will be held in Kampala, Uganda, from July 1-4 this year. Today is the last day to send your input to gsr@itu.int – I encourage you to do so.
In closing, I have a quiz for you this morning: “If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving."
For you here, I am pleased that you have demonstrated that you believe in action!
Congratulations.
Thank you!
