Doreen Bogdan-Martin
Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Keynote at the Opening Ceremony of the
Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-26)
Ankara, Türkiye
[As prepared for delivery]
Honourable Minister H.E. Abdulkadir Uraloğlu,
Distinguished Chair Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu,
Director Cosmas Zavazava,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I am so honoured to be here.
Türkiye is also a founding member of the ITU.
And today we are building on that strong legacy of cooperation, as we gather to navigate new digital frontiers.
Last year, at GSR's 25th anniversary In Riyadh, I named three challenges regulators face on this new digital frontier: Speed, scale and stakes.
Since then, all three have accelerated and grown.
Digital markets move faster than our rule-making cycles.
Innovation ecosystems are becoming more complex, and expectations on regulators continue to mount.
Today, I would like to touch on how regulators can meet these challenges — by doubling down on digital resilience.
This is the theme of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day that we will mark just days from now, on May 17th.
And it's the throughline of this Symposium, where you will discuss whether we are truly prepared for what's coming: from 6G, to space-based networks, to quantum information technologies.
How to create safe spaces to experiment towards regulatory excellence.
And how to strengthen and share the digital infrastructure that has become the backbone of national and regional economies.
You will also explore policy approaches that can protect and empower young people online, find more ways to collaborate on life-saving early warnings, and determine how to unlock the investment needed to deliver on all of this.
ITU estimates that up to 2.8 trillion dollars will be needed to connect everyone meaningfully by 2030. A figure that includes closing the physical infrastructure investment gap; ensuring everyone has at least basic digital skills; and closing important policy and regulatory gaps.
Excellencies,
The urgency of investing in digital resilience now cannot be overstated.
Because the next major disruption is not a question of if, but when.
Just last week, ITU, UNDRR, and Sciences Po released a report on critical digital risks, that shows how the global digital economy depends on a small number of shared foundations: interconnected power grids; satellite systems; undersea cables; and a handful of cloud providers.
When one of these digital systems fails, the consequences cascade across borders, sectors, and regions, and with the most vulnerable populations experiencing the worst impacts.
This is why, ladies and gentlemen, resilience must be built into the DNA of the technologies we depend on, and the role of regulators here, is key.
Anticipating disruption, managing risk, and building resilient regulatory frameworks for a rapidly changing world ꟷ that's the essential work of digital regulation.
And it's what everyone in this room does best.
I want to thank the Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority, BTK, for organizing side events this week on strengthening resilience in LEO (low Earth orbit) constellations and in submarine cable networks.
This builds on the work of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, and as we look ahead to WRC-27 (World Radiocommunication Conference 2027) with its space-heavy agenda.
It also relates to the work of the International Advisory Body on Submarine Cable Resilience, which will soon conclude its work with practical guidance on how to protect these vital undersea networks.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Earlier today, you adopted the 2026 Best Practice Guidelines — the result of more than fifty contributions from regulators and stakeholders worldwide.
When GSR met for the first time in 2000, fewer than half of ITU Member States had a regulatory body.
Today, 166 of our 194 Member States do.
That's what a quarter-century of cooperation looks like.
Let's keep that spirit alive this week, as we navigate the digital frontier, and strengthen resilience together.
In a moment of significant technological change, our increasingly digital world needs what only regulators can provide: clear direction, credible safeguards, and the ability to transform innovation into public value.
That's what makes connectivity meaningful, and digital transformation sustainable, for the people we serve, here in Türkiye, and around the world.
I look forward to a productive week here in Ankara, as we share what works, experiment with what is possible, and explore together how smarter regulation can help societies innovate, connect, and prosper.
