Message from Seizo Onoe, Director,

Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU

Dear colleagues,

Welcome to the latest edition of the Digital Transformation and Cities Digest.

In this issue, we spotlight the upcoming High-Level Segment of the ITU Global Standards Symposium, the Global DPI Summit and the recent ITU-T Study Group 20 meeting in Geneva, where 336 participants gathered to discuss topics such as digital twins, metaverse, Internet of Things, and AI-driven digital agriculture. We also bring you the latest updates on the United for Smart Sustainable Cities initiative, including plans for the upcoming eighth meeting on 19 September 2024 in Madrid, Spain.

As always, we also bring you updates on the latest Digital Transformation Dialogues and our reports and publications.

I hope you enjoy this Digest. If you have any comments or suggestions for improvement, please send an email to digitaltransformation@itu.int.

Sincerely,

Seizo Onoe,
Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU.

GSS-24 High-Level Segment

The Global Standards Symposium (GSS-24) provides a high-level forum for discussion and coordination open to all interested parties. It takes place every four years and precedes the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly. This year’s edition takes place on 14 October at the Pragati Maidan conference and exhibition centre in New Delhi, India, under the theme, “Charting the Next Digital Wave: Emerging Technologies, Innovation, and International Standards”. 

A key highlight of this years’ GSS is our High-Level Segment, “Catalyzing Change: Industry & Ministerial Leaders Crafting the Future of Innovation”, bringing together more than 20 ministers, CEOs and other tech leaders in an innovative and collaborative setting. This event promises a groundbreaking exchange of insights between ministers and industry leaders to craft the future of innovation. 

Find out more about this event and the entire Symposium’s programme here. Register here to be part of this exciting day.

United for Smart Sustainable Cities Initiative 

The eighth U4SSC meeting will take place in conjunction with RECI congress on smart cities on 19 September 2024, in Madrid, Spain. The meeting will be hosted by City of Madrid and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP). The programme is available here. To participate, please register here. 

The United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) is a UN initiative coordinated by ITU, UNECE and UN-Habitat and supported by 16 other UN bodies which assists in developing policies and strategies facilitating cities’ digital transformation journey towards becoming smart and sustainable cities and communities of tomorrow.

The U4SSC carries out its work through several Thematic Groups. During the meeting, updates will be presented along with the announcement of new thematic and working groups. Experts are invited to join these Thematic Groups and contribute their expertise:

• City Platforms,
• Building Urban Economic Resilience at City Level
• Artificial Intelligence in Cities
• Enabling People-Centred Cities through Digital Transformation
• Digital Wellbeing

To join the U4SSC initiative, please subscribe to the U4SSC mailing list as detailed here.

Global DPI Summit 2024

The Global DPI Summit, hosted on 1-3 October 2024 in Cairo, Egypt, will bring together stakeholders from across the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) ecosystem to showcase the transformative impact of DPI on national and global scales.

The event will highlight progress in DPI adoption, featuring groundbreaking technologies, policy frameworks, and implementation models.

Serving as a catalyst for strategic partnerships, the summit will foster dialogue and collaboration among public sector leaders, private industry, and civil society. These efforts aim to accelerate DPI implementation, unlocking its potential for sustainable development and societal advancement. 

This inaugural edition is organized by ITU, UNDP, the UN Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, Co-Develop, the World Bank, and hosted by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Egypt, in the New Administrative Capital, Cairo. 

Find out more about this event here. 

ITU-T Study Group 20 “IoT and Smart Cities & Communities” activities

The latest ITU-T Study Group 20 (SG20) meeting, held in Geneva from 1-12 July 2024, was a momentous event, bringing together 336 participants. The discussions covered a wide range of topics, including the integration of virtual and physical worlds through digital twins for the metaverse, and the use of AI for data processing, management, and analytics in digital agriculture. 

The meeting received 158 Contributions and accomplished several key outcomes, including the approval of 7 new Recommendations, 5 new Technical Reports and Supplements, and initiated 52 new Work Items. 

Additionally, the meeting achieved first-stage approval ("consent" and "determination") of another 22 Recommendations for future approval. In preparation for WTSA-24, ITU-T SG20 held sessions to discuss the proposed revised title and mandate for the next study period. The work of the Focus Group on AI and IoT for Digital Agriculture concluded with the approval of its progress report and final report, and discussions on its deliverables took place. ITU-T SG20 also discussed deliverables from the Focus Group on metaverse and agreed on the initiation of some work items. Further details are available in the executive summary and meeting report.

Furthermore, the 29th meeting of the Joint Coordination Activity on Internet of Things and Smart Cities and Communities took place on 2 July 2024. Its outcomes can be found here.

A series of promotion and training activities were held as part of the ITU-T Study Group 20 meeting. These included the newcomer training session delivered as part of the ITU Bridging the Standardization Gap programme, which provided new delegates with a comprehensive introduction to ITU working methods and procedures.

A series of ITU-T Study Group 20 meetings and e-meetings will take place over the remainder of 2024 and into 2025, with the next in-person meeting planned for 15-25 January 2025 in Geneva.

Visit the ITU-T Study Group 20 website to learn more.

ITU-T Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things for Digital Agriculture concludes its work

The ITU-T Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things for Digital Agriculture (FG-AI4A) concluded its work and reported back to its parent group ITU-T SG20. The Focus Group explored the potential of emerging technologies including AI and IoT in many areas, such as improving modelling from a growing volume of agricultural and geospatial data, and providing effective communication for interventions related to the optimization of agricultural production processes. FG-AI4A experts also examined relevant concepts, and remaining gaps in the current standardization landscape related to agriculture, while also underscoring the best practices and barriers related to the use of AI and IoT-based technologies within this domain.

FG-AI4A approved the following deliverables:

• Glossary - Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) for Digital Agriculture​
• Technical Report on Ethical Legal, and regulatory Considerations relating to the use of AI for agriculture”: A European Perspective​​
• Technical Report on Data Modelling for digital agriculture
• Technical Report on Use Cases for AI and IoT for Digital Agriculture​
• Technical Report on Standardization gaps and roadmap for AI and IoT in digital agriculture​

To learn more, visit the FG-AI4A website.

Latest Digital Transformation Dialogues

The ITU Digital Transformation Dialogues (DTD) have expanded the successful digital transformation webinars platform, looking deeper into pivotal digital transformation topics, featuring insights from senior leaders and leading experts.

Upcoming events

Fireside Chat: Less Power, Less Cost, More Impact – Tiny Machine Learning and Edge Artificial Intelligence To The Rescue 

17 September 2024

As semiconductors, software and networks mature alongside Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, new opportunities are arising to solve difficult problems across agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, safety and security and more. This session will explore how this ecology of companies in AI can help you address such challenges head-on.

Webinar: City Horizons: Celebrating World Cities Day and Shaping Urban Futures 

31 October 2024

This webinar, jointly organized by ITU and Global Cities Hub explores the concept of people-oriented smart cities as a means to enhance the human experience, fostering a sense of community, accessibility, and innovation for all inhabitants.

Ask the Expert Session: Smart Submarine Cables: The future of disaster management

5 November 2024

In conjunction with World Tsunami Awareness Day on 5 November, our expert guest speaker Bruce M. Howe, leader of the SMART Cale Initiative Joint Task Force, will cover the evolution of submarine cable technologies, the backbone of global internet connectivity. You will have the opportunity to learn more about the challenges and innovative solutions in submarine cable deployment by understanding the complexities of laying and maintaining submarine cables, including environmental considerations and risk mitigation strategies.

Fireside Chat: Quantum Leaps: Pioneering the Future with Quantum Computing

28 November 2024

In this fireside chat our special guest speaker Georges-Olivier Reymond, CEO of the quantum computing hardware company Pasqal, will explore how quantum algorithms are reshaping our understanding of data analysis, optimization, and simulation, paving the way for breakthroughs in renewable energy, resource management, and beyond. Learn how quantum-inspired approaches can accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs, driving innovation on a global scale.

Past sessions

Ask the Expert Session – Exploring DLT Beyond Cryptocurrency: Applications and Opportunities 

23 July 2024

This session explored the transformative potential of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) across industries. DLT, including blockchain, is revolutionizing traditional business processes by offering secure, transparent, and decentralized solutions for data management and transactions. Watch here. 

Ask the Expert Session – Rester connecté: Explorer l’itinérance mobile internationale 

27 June 2024

This session explored the complexities and best practices of international mobile roaming, offering insights on managing connectivity, costs, and regulations while traveling abroad. Watch here. 

Webinar: Greening the Future: Navigating Digital Transformation for Land Restoration 

5 June 2024

This webinar, jointly organized by ITU, ITU-T Study Group 5, UN Environment, and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification offered a unique opportunity to delve into the intersection of digital transformation and land restoration, providing insights that are crucial for creating a more sustainable and resilient future. Watch here.

Latest Publication

UN Executive Briefing on unlocking the potential of virtual worlds and the metaverse for the Sustainable Development Goals

This Executive Briefing was launched by 19 UN entities. It provides an in-depth look at the enabling power of digital spaces in advancing the SDGs, particularly focusing on the transformative impact of the metaverse. For more information click here.

Contact us
Email: digitaltransformation@itu.int
International Telecommunication Union
Place des Nations, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland

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