Distinguished guests,
Esteemed colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to this important meeting of the Industry Advisory Group on Development Issues and the Private Sector Chief Regulatory Officers.
I am delighted we have the opportunity to meet here in Ankara as part of the Global Symposium of Regulators,
to benefit from the spirit of shared endeavour with our wider community,
and to ensure that development remains at the heart of our discussions.
Since the start of the year, we have been working to ensure the efficient and impactful implementation of the WTDC-25 outcomes,
always taking a human-centric approach,
and one that is responsive to the particular needs of countries.
Our success depends on effective partnerships with the private sector, industry, and academia, our Member States, and other development partners.
Thank you all for your commitment to that endeavour. Now, I would like to acknowledge the strong leadership of Mr Bocar Ba, Chair of this group …
… and Vice Chairs Ms Lele Modise and Ms Amy Alvarez.
Allow me also to express my sincere appreciation to all among you who contributed to the development of the GSR-26 Best Practice Guidelines that were adopted this morning.
Your input was vital as we are focusing on this year’s central theme …
… Navigating the Digital Frontier.
I am pleased to say that IAGDI-CRO has experienced substantial growth over the years, evolving from a gathering of around 50 industry representatives to a dynamic platform of hundreds of you.
At GSR 23 in Sharm El-Sheikh, we took a major step by opening the meeting to regulators, paving way for direct exchange – a rare but important opportunity for all.
Reality is, today IAGDI-CRO is no longer a private-sector-only forum, but an inclusive space that fosters meaningful dialogue between industry and regulators.
Additionally, since 2023, we have welcomed over 150 new ITU-D Sector Members, Associates and Academia …
… with 55 new members joining only last year, reaching the highest level of total memberships in the past fifteen years.
And since our last GSR in September we have welcomed 11 Sector Members.
This growth should be celebrated!
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today’s meeting will agree on an Outcome Statement, which will be presented by the IAGDI-CRO Chair to GSR 26 during the Closing Ceremony.
We warmly encourage industry input to ensure inclusiveness and broad representation across all communities.
I urge regulators among us to embrace their role as ecosystem builders …
… and the industry leaders among us to partner with them to integrate innovation into regulation at every level.
In that spirit, let us begin this meeting with clarity of purpose …
… and with the resolve to keep pushing forward together.
Finally, let us make the most of this precious platform for fresh thinking …
… peer learning …
… and meaningful collaboration.
