BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin addressed the opening of the ITU Development Sector's (ITU-D) ''Know Your Members'' series of events – a dialogue platform for ITU-D Members to interact and exchange views with the leadership of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT).
The first Know Your Members session focused on the academia and research institutes community, which currently stands at 160 members. Ms Bogdan-Martin welcomed members' suggestions on BDT could bring more value and strengthen their participation in the work of ITU-D.
She described various ongoing initiatives with scope for further collaboration, such as the Giga project to connect all schools to the internet; Connect2Recover, to help countries better leverage digital technologies to support pandemic recovery and preparedness for a post-COVID normal; I-CoDI, the International Centre of Digital Innovation to help ITU Members, Sector Members and other key stakeholders to integrate innovation into their national development agendas and activities; the EQUALS Global Partnership to promote inclusivity of women and girls, and much more.
Ms Bogdan-Martin noted that there are many opportunities for academic knowledge and research to aid in identifying policy needs. She told members ''We count on your expertise and critical role in research,'' and encouraged their continued active participation in preparations for the upcoming World Telecommunication Development Conference, particularly the Academic session that will take place as a side event to the Road to Addis Series on 20 May 2021.
