{"id":4745,"date":"2025-10-10T13:05:35","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T13:05:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/?page_id=4745"},"modified":"2025-11-13T10:14:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T10:14:55","slug":"global-dpi-summit-2025-session-on-cities-reimagined-dpi-as-the-engine-of-urban-progress","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/global-dpi-summit-2025-session-on-cities-reimagined-dpi-as-the-engine-of-urban-progress\/","title":{"rendered":"Global DPI Summit 2025 &#8211; Session on Cities Reimagined: DPI as the Engine of Urban Progress"},"content":{"rendered":"    <div class=\"ituContainer grid\">\n        <div data-span=\"12\">\n                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-white-background-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">    <section>\n        <div class=\"ituContainer grid\">\n                                                <div data-span=\"4\">\n                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"630\" height=\"787\" src=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-11-04-DPI-summit.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4759\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8005065315915756;width:426px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-11-04-DPI-summit.png 630w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-11-04-DPI-summit-240x300.png 240w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>            <\/div>\n                                                <div data-span=\"6\">\n                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div style=\"height:29px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>Description&nbsp;<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As cities evolve into dynamic, digitally connected ecosystems, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)\u2014spanning digital identity, payments, data exchange, and connectivity\u2014has emerged as a transformative force for delivering inclusive, efficient, and people-centred urban services.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div style=\"height:17px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This session explored how DPI is reimagining urban life, enabling cities to become smarter, more resilient, and more responsive to the needs of their communities. By driving innovation, enhancing urban governance, and bridging digital divides, DPI ensures that no one is left behind in the digital age.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Drawing on real-world examples from the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative and other global efforts, participants gained insights into how DPI is reshaping public services, strengthening citizen engagement, and unlocking new opportunities for inclusive economic and social development.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button gb-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.globaldpisummit.org\/\" style=\"border-radius:5px;color:#ffffff;background-color:#0693e3;padding-top:10px;padding-right:1em;padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:1em;font-size:20px;line-height:1.2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button gb-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/s\/aHBqjCzBjQ\" style=\"border-radius:5px;color:#ffffff;background-color:#0693e3;padding-top:10px;padding-right:1em;padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:1em;font-size:20px;line-height:1.2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Photo Gallery<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>            <\/div>\n                                                <div data-span=\"2\">\n                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>General Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ITU-T Smart Sustainable Cities<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/metaverse\/\">ITU activities on metaverse and virtual worlds<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/u4ssc.itu.int\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/u4ssc.itu.int\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Contact: <\/strong><br><a href=\"mailto:tsbsg20@itu.int\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cristina Bueti<\/a> (ITU)<\/p>\n<\/div>            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-white-background-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\">Programme<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a3549a19c0b780a896b6751a712763cc is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-1424a0a30a9792cbdf39fe6cbbb32f88 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>15:30&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;15:40<\/strong><\/strong> <strong><strong>Opening Remarks<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>H.E. Mr. Solly Malatsi<\/strong>, Minister, Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), South Africa&nbsp; <\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Tomas Lamanauskas<\/strong>, Deputy Secretary-General, ITU<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a56b8b7416fc5be4593ba8bd641c2c69 is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-ef927b5259cae63f0aeeb452fc4c433c wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>15:40&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;15:<\/strong>50 Keynote presentation&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Venkatesen Mauree<\/strong>, Head, Strategic Technology and Academia Initiatives Division, ITU <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025-11-04-Venkatesen-Mauree-2.pdf\">[Presentation]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6261a25e64b06805f63e76bccd4f45ef is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-c018981b5da2118bea3e6f3ccc2f9832 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>15:50&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;16:28<\/strong><\/strong> <strong><strong><strong><strong>Session on Digital public infrastructure in action: Building cities that work for everyone&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Moderator: Halima Letamo<\/strong>, Area Representative for Southern Africa, ITU<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Speakers: <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Nonkqubela Thathakahle Jordan-Dyani<\/strong>, Director-General, Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, South Africa<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Varun Basu<\/strong>, Vice President for Growth and Partnerships, eGov, India<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Daniela Duque<\/strong>, Manager, V\u00e9lezReyes+, Colombia<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Manuel Aguilera, <\/strong>Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure (CDPI), Colombia<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Hugh Cole<\/strong>, Director of Policy and Strategy and Chief Data Officer, City of Cape Town Government, South Africa<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Questions and answers<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1d33ccd44a90ac426361964e224dc9dd is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-b03a2312d7bcd86203f0b9ff9874ddbf wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong>16:28&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;16:30<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Closing R\u200bemarks<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Alex Wong<\/strong>, Senior Advisor, Strategic Engagement and Initiatives, ITU<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-ac05025c0cdeca45bb02e7dab6698b07 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Biographies<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-22-at-11.30.17-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4780 size-medium\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-22-at-11.30.17-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-22-at-11.30.17-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-22-at-11.30.17-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-22-at-11.30.17-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-22-at-11.30.17-600x600.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-22-at-11.30.17.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>Daniela Duque<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><br>Manager, V\u00e9lezReyes+, Colombia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Daniela Duque is Innovation in State Capacity Manager at V\u00e9lezReyes+, a philanthropic platform from and for Latin America that advances democracy and education as vehicles to reduce gaps in opportunity. With over a decade of experience across the social, public, and private sectors, she works at the intersection of technology, democracy, and impact, helping institutions and communities harness innovation for equitable development.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At V\u00e9lezReyes+, she leads efforts to explore how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can strengthen state capacity and improve public delivery. Through DPIxLocal, a partnership with Co-Develop and CDPI, the initiative seeks to test how city- and sector-level DPI can enhance government performance and citizen trust &#8211; from authentication pilots in Medell\u00edn, Colombia, to education efforts in Recife, Brazil.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                            \n<div style=\"color:#ddd\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-spacer gb-block-spacer gb-divider-solid gb-divider-size-1\"><hr style=\"height:30px\"\/><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"633\" height=\"696\" src=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ms-Halima.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4771 size-medium\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ms-Halima.png 633w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ms-Halima-273x300.png 273w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 633px) 100vw, 633px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong>Halima Letamo<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><br>ITU Area Representative for Southern Africa&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ms Halima Letamo heads the ITU area office for Southern Africa. She is a seasoned ICT professional with over 25 years work experience. In her role, Ms Letamo provides strategic direction to the work of the ITU in the region, focusing on supporting member states with acceleration of digital transformation, rollout of broadband infrastructure and connectivity, digital safety and security as well as emerging technology and innovations ecosystems. This role includes close collaboration with other UN Agencies, overseeing execution of ITU&#8217;s mandate within the broader UN programmatic deliverables in the region. Prior to this role, Ms Letamo managed global initiatives aimed at the implementation of the ITU capacity development portfolio, focusing on skills development of ICT professionals, institutional capacity development for ITU Member States and basic digital skills development for underserved communities. She has facilitated the World Summit on the Information Society Action line C4 driving global policy dialogue and capacity development in topics such as AI, e-Applications, e- health, e-agriculture, e-learning, ICT policy and regulation, spectrum management and emergency telecommunications among others.&nbsp; Ms Letamo has also worked for UNESCO and Botswana Government in various capacities. She has experience in the implementation of resource mobilisation strategies, project management for development organisations, strategic management and has served in executive boards of global organisations such as the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation.&nbsp; She holds a bachelor&#8217;s degree in Demography and Environmental Science, covering Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems, Masters degree in Education, a Masters degree in Business Administration as well as several professional certifications.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                            \n<div style=\"color:#ddd\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-spacer gb-block-spacer gb-divider-solid gb-divider-size-1\"><hr style=\"height:30px\"\/><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"708\" src=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/PHOTO-2024-07-15-22-17-09-1024x708.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4758 size-medium\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/PHOTO-2024-07-15-22-17-09-1024x708.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/PHOTO-2024-07-15-22-17-09-300x207.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/PHOTO-2024-07-15-22-17-09-768x531.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/PHOTO-2024-07-15-22-17-09-1536x1062.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/PHOTO-2024-07-15-22-17-09.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>H.E. Mr. Solly Malatsi<\/strong><\/strong><br>Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Solly Malatsi is the current South African Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, a<br>position that highlights his extensive leadership and strategic expertise.<br>With a background as a seasoned communications specialist, he has served in various high-profile<br>government roles, including as the Parliamentary Counselor to the Leader of the Official Opposition.<br>Minister Malatsi\u2019s career in public service is marked by his exceptional ability to guide and implement<br>communication strategies across multiple government levels, ensuring effective message delivery and<br>organizational cohesion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His leadership extends to his tenure as a Member of Parliament, where he has contributed to portfolios<br>such as Sports and Recreation, Human Settlements, and Communications and Digital Technologies.<br>Notably, he completed a full term as a whip for the parliamentary caucus, demonstrating his leadership<br>in managing party discipline and legislative processes. His previous roles also include serving as the<br>spokesperson for the Western Cape MEC of Transport and Public Works, as well as for the Mayor of<br>Cape Town, reflecting his versatility and ability to communicate across diverse political contexts.<br>Prior to his appointment as Minister, Malatsi was the national spokesperson for the Democratic Alliance<br>(DA), where his skills in public communication were pivotal in shaping the party&#8217;s public image and<br>outreach.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He continues to hold key leadership positions within the DA, including serving as Provincial Deputy<br>Chairperson in Limpopo and as the elected Deputy Federal Chairperson since 2023.<br>Minister Malatsi\u2019s educational background includes a Bachelor of Administration from the University of<br>Limpopo and an Honours Degree in Political Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand. His<br>academic credentials complement his leadership roles, underlining his commitment to both governance<br>and policy-making at the highest levels of government.<br>With a career defined by strong leadership, strategic communication, and a deep understanding of<br>digital technologies, Solly Malatsi remains a key figure in shaping South Africa\u2019s future in the digital<br>age.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                            \n<div style=\"color:#ddd\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-spacer gb-block-spacer gb-divider-solid gb-divider-size-1\"><hr style=\"height:30px\"\/><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"731\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSC_1885-731x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4778 size-medium\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSC_1885-731x1024.jpg 731w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSC_1885-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSC_1885-768x1075.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSC_1885-1097x1536.jpg 1097w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSC_1885-1463x2048.jpg 1463w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSC_1885.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 731px) 100vw, 731px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong>Hugh Cole<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><br>Chief Data Officer and Strategy Director for the City of Cape Town<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hugh Cole leads the City\u2019s Data Strategy and Data Analytics Hub and co-leads the integration of artificial intelligence into planning and service delivery. Over the past seven years, he has built a multidisciplinary team spanning policy, strategy, economics, infrastructure, and data capabilities \u2014 helping position Cape Town as a leader in evidence-based urban governance in Africa. His work has produced the City\u2019s first consolidated ten-year infrastructure portfolio and award-winning data analytics programmes. Before joining the City, he directed country programmes at the International Growth Centre (LSE and Oxford). He is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics\u2019 School of Public Policy.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                            \n<div style=\"color:#ddd\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-spacer gb-block-spacer gb-divider-solid gb-divider-size-1\"><hr style=\"height:30px\"\/><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Perfil-manu-2-1-min-1-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4797 size-medium\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Perfil-manu-2-1-min-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Perfil-manu-2-1-min-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Perfil-manu-2-1-min-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Perfil-manu-2-1-min-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Perfil-manu-2-1-min-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Perfil-manu-2-1-min-1-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Perfil-manu-2-1-min-1-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong>Manuel Aguilera<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><br>Regional Lead, Latin America and the Caribbean, Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Manuel Aguilera is the Latin America and the Caribbean Lead at the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure (CDPI), where he supports governments across the region in the design and implementation of DPI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>Before joining CDPI, he co-founded Impacto Digital, a civic tech organization working across Latin America to protect human rights. He has also served as a consultant for organizations such as UNESCO and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Manuel holds a degree in Sociology and a Master&#8217;s in Public Administration from University College London.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                            \n<div style=\"color:#ddd\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-spacer gb-block-spacer gb-divider-solid gb-divider-size-1\"><hr style=\"height:30px\"\/><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/thumbnail_Tomas-Lamanauskas_Picture-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4761 size-medium\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/thumbnail_Tomas-Lamanauskas_Picture-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/thumbnail_Tomas-Lamanauskas_Picture-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/thumbnail_Tomas-Lamanauskas_Picture-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/thumbnail_Tomas-Lamanauskas_Picture-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/thumbnail_Tomas-Lamanauskas_Picture-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/thumbnail_Tomas-Lamanauskas_Picture.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong>Tomas Lamanauskas<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><br>Deputy Secretary-General, ITU<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tomas Lamanauskas is Deputy Secretary-General of the International<br>Telecommunication Union, elected at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference of 2022, and in<br>office since January 2023.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has over 25 years of experience in telecommunications and digital policy, regulation,<br>and strategy, holding executive-level positions in agencies, companies, and<br>organizations across Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.<br>As Deputy Secretary-General, Tomas focuses on<strong> ITU\u2019s financial sustainability and<br>operational excellence. <\/strong>He also promotes investments into digital infrastructure and<br>resilience through the <strong>Digital Infrastructure Investment Initiative and International<br>Advisory Body on Submarine Cable Resilience, <\/strong>and leads efforts to raise the digital<br>industry\u2019s ambition in fighting the climate crisis through the Green Digital Action<br>initiative. Additionally, Tomas contributes to the global efforts to harness the<br>opportunities and mitigate challenges of new technologies, in particular Artificial<br>Intelligence, serving as a <strong>co-chair of the United Nations Inter-Agency Working Group<br>on AI. <\/strong>Furthermore, he serves as<strong> Chair of the Management Committee of the United<br>Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC)<\/strong> \u2013 a key shared platform for the<br>delivery of infrastructure and services across the UN system. Tomas is also playing a key<br>role in ensuring ITU\u2019s support to other UN-wide development and governance efforts,<br>including through the<strong> World Summit of the Information Society process<\/strong> and<br>membership at the <strong>Operational Steering Committee of the UN Joint SD<\/strong>G Fund.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tomas holds Master\u2019s degrees in Public Administration (Harvard), Leadership and<br>Strategy (London Business School), Telecommunications Regulation and Policy (The<br>University of the West Indies), and Law (Vilnius University)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                            \n<div style=\"color:#ddd\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-spacer gb-block-spacer gb-divider-solid gb-divider-size-1\"><hr style=\"height:30px\"\/><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"317\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ID-picture.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4767 size-medium\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ID-picture.png 317w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ID-picture-300x295.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 317px) 100vw, 317px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>Varun Basu<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><br>Vice President for Growth and Partnerships, eGov<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Varun Basu is a partnerships and growth leader with over two decades of experience building technology ecosystems and scaling&nbsp;<strong>open-source Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs)<\/strong>&nbsp;across Asia and Africa. At present, he leads global initiatives that bring together market, government, and civil society partners to co-create and scale&nbsp;<strong>Digital Public Goods (DPGs)<\/strong>&nbsp;that strengthen governance, health, and social protection systems. His work focuses on translating open technology into population-scale impact through collaboration, interoperability, and innovation. Varun also mentors&nbsp;<strong>Ashoka Fellows<\/strong>&nbsp;and social entrepreneurs on leveraging open-source platforms to drive sustainable and inclusive digital transformation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                            \n<div style=\"color:#ddd\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-spacer gb-block-spacer gb-divider-solid gb-divider-size-1\"><hr style=\"height:30px\"\/><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vijay250.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4763 size-medium\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vijay250.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vijay250-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Venkatesen Mauree<\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><br>Head, Strategic Technology and Academia Initiatives Division, Standardization Bureau, ITU<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Venkatesen Mauree is the Head of the Strategic Tech and Academia Initiatives Division, Standardization Bureau at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). He joined the ITU in 2010 and has over 30 years of experience in project management and cybersecurity. He coordinates the work for the AI and Multimedia Authenticity Standards Collaboration and the AI Standards Exchange Database under the World Standards Cooperation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He leads the ITU Digital Financial Services Security Lab which conducts security audits on mobile payment applications used in emerging economies and provides technical assistance to telecom regulators in emerging economies to enhance security of digital finance and adoption of international standards and best practices for security of digital financial inclusion and fintech.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He supervises the Academia activities such as the Kaleidoscope academic conference and the publication of the ITU Journal. He manages the collaboration with OpenWallet Foundation for the OpenWallet Forum project which aims at global interoperability for digital wallets and credentials. He assists the OpenWallet Forum Government Consultative Committee in its work on government policies for digital wallets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He coordinated the work of several Focus Groups namely, the ITU-T Focus Group Digital Financial Services (2014-16), the ITU-T Focus Group Digital Currency including Digital Fiat Currency (2017-19) and the ITU-T Focus Group on Cost Models for affordable data services (2023-25).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He led the work of digital financial services security under the Financial Inclusion Global Initiative (FIGI) project from 2017 to 2021. FIGI was a joint programme of the ITU, World Bank, Bank for International Settlements and supported by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation. He led the FIGI Security, Infrastructure and Trust Working Group which investigated the security threats to the DFS Ecosystem and developing technical reports and guidelines to enhance trust in DFS. The ITU DFS Security Lab was established as an outcome of the work under FIGI.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4745","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4745"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4745\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/cities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}