Your Excellency Azamat Zhamangulov, Ministry of digital development and innovative technologies of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr Altynbek Toktorbaev, Chair of the Service for Regulation and Supervision in the Communications Industry under the Ministry of Digital Development, Mr Alexey Borodin, Director General of the Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to address you today.
I would like to start by thanking the Ministry of digital development and innovative technologies of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Service for Regulation and Supervision in the Communications Industry, for hosting this Regional Development Forum for the CIS, which takes place at such a critical juncture in the story of digital transformation globally.
Just six months ago, world leaders signed the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations, affirming that our common future is digital. This is the 160th anniversary year of the ITU, making us older even than the UN itself, but our work is more important than ever, even if our role is changing.
We are evolving to meet new challenges like natural disasters and climate change and to embrace new opportunities that come with new and emerging technologies like, artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of Things, but we are achieving great things. Our slogan in the Development Bureau is: “BDT for impact" and we measure our success by the positive impact we have on people's lives and communities.
Tomorrow, we will have the Regional Preparatory Meeting ahead of the World Telecommunication Development Conference in November, which of course takes place in this region, hosted by the government of Azerbaijan in Baku. I am happy to report our overall preparations are well advanced, including through TDAG and its four Working Groups.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am even more pleased to report on the wider achievements made over the past three years.
In Kigali in 2022, we were given a mandate to address five key areas. To promote connectivity and achieve universal access and bridge the digital divides, and to embrace digital transformation. We were also asked to mobilize resources and foster international cooperation, and I'm especially proud that BDT managed to raise over 60 million USD and attract over 40 members in the ITU-D Sector in just two years, since 2023. Membership also asked us to prioritise cybersecurity and child online protection, both of which are at the heart of our work.
Ladies and gentlemen, together with our partners, we are driving innovation and digital transformation globally, prioritizing developing countries, least developed countries, small island developing states, and of course landlocked developing countries like Kyrgyzstan.
Here in the CIS region, we have successfully implemented projects under the five regional initiatives adopted at WTDC-22. Namely, developing infrastructure to promote innovation and partnerships in the introduction of new technologies; cybersecurity and personal data protection; creating an enabling legal and regulatory environment to accelerate digital transformation; digital skills and ICT accessibility for the public, especially persons with disabilities; and the development of smart cities and communities.
In terms of infrastructure, we have deployed national trainings on 5G and emerging technologies, and enhanced the capacity of Member States to manage spectrum, through a regional seminar in Kazakhstan, which was attended by over 100 specialists. We also held regional ITU Training in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on monitoring universal and meaningful connectivity using ICT statistics. And we developed a National Early Warnings for All Roadmap for Tajikistan.
In terms of cybersecurity, we held the first National CyberDrill in Armenia and supported a two-day training on "CyberSafe for Family" in Kazakhstan, while the CIRT project for Kyrgyzstan is ongoing, with support from the World Bank.
And in terms of digital skills, we have carried out an Assessment in Azerbaijan and held a workshop in Minsk, Belarus, on “Advanced technologies to support sustainable, inclusive and accessible societies" with a special focus on persons with disabilities and special needs. And we have been working with our Academic members on developing digital entrepreneurial and startup skills.
Great work is being done to bring about sustainable digital transformation in the region, and that brings me to the Status of Digital Development and Trends report, which I am launching today. The headline is that the region is advancing but faces structural challenges. Several countries have near-universal Internet access, while others lag behind due to lack of infrastructure, affordability barriers, and inadequate regulations. With seven of the nine CIS countries landlocked, there are particular challenges for transit infrastructure.
In 2024, 92 per cent of individuals in the CIS region were online, much higher than the global average of 68 per cent, but there is an urban-rural divide, and older adults are also less likely to be online. Nevertheless, the region stands out for having achieved gender parity in Internet use, which is certainly something to be proud of.
A lack of regulatory maturity is inhibiting the expansion of digital services, so strengthening ICT regulation will be essential to fostering a competitive market and enabling innovation across the region. Other challenges include cybersecurity readiness, which varies widely, e-waste management, and data gaps that limit evidence-based policy-making.
Ladies and gentlemen, regional cooperation will be key to overcoming those challenges. That is why it is so important that we forge ahead with the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, ITU's global multistakeholder coalition to mobilize resources toward universal and meaningful connectivity. Currently the number of pledges pertaining to the Commonwealth of Independent States stands at 112, valued at almost $10 billion. At this RDF, we have organized match-making roundtables to attract new pledges, as well as transforming pledges into concrete action and projects to address both country and regional needs. At tomorrow's Regional Preparatory Meeting, we will present a detailed report on the implementation of WTDC-22 outcomes and report on the state of preparations for WTDC-25.
In closing, let me remind you that we are here to support you to achieve your connectivity goals. Meanwhile, I welcome, once again, all the stakeholders to this RDF and encourage as many members as possible to attend the RPM tomorrow. Thank you!
