Esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
it is a pleasure to be here today with you at this joint meeting of the Regional Regulatory Associations and Digital Regulation Network.
Let me start by thanking Mr. Marko Mišmaš, Director of the Agency for Communication Networks and Services of the Republic of Slovenia,
and Chairman of the Independent Regulators Group (IRG) and the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), for agreeing to chair the meeting.
I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to all representatives of the Regional Regulatory Associations.
Your active participation and continued commitment are appreciated.
You are all very aware of the need for regulation to evolve as rapidly as the technologies it seeks to guide.
Today’s regulators are increasingly governing complex digital
ecosystems driven by data, platforms, and artificial intelligence.
The Digital Regulation Network that I launched at GSR-23, was launched to respond directly to this development.
I am delighted that it has become a true network of networks, connecting regulators across national, regional, and global levels, to foster cooperation, alignment and shared solutions.
Over the past year, we have seen tangible progress. The DRN has strengthened regional collaboration, supported capacity development,
and advanced thought leadership across key regulatory priorities.
These include universal connectivity, competition, and emerging technologies including AI and satellite systems.
It has also promoted more coordinated and interoperable approaches to cross-border challenges,
an imperative in today’s interconnected digital landscape.
At the same time, our discussions, most recently at the DRN Board Meeting in Tbilisi, have highlighted an important evolution.
The DRN is moving beyond dialogue, toward implementation and measurable impact.
There is a shared recognition that we must translate analysis into action,
and technical tools into real policy outcomes. That way, your work can influence investment, strengthen trust,
and deliver meaningful connectivity.
We must now continue the move from infrastructure-focused regulation to full digital ecosystem governance, enhance evidence-based decision-making through new tools to be launched at this GSR, such as the Global Economic Model Study and the Connectivity Planning Platform,
and build stronger advocacy capacity to ensure that regulatory insights translate into high-level political and economic decisions.
The DRN’s three pillars,
Capacity Development, Thought Leadership and Regulatory
Innovation remain central to this effort.
Through these, we are enabling experimentation, including regulatory sandboxes, and new collaborative mechanisms that help us respond to fast-changing technologies.
Equally important is the role of Regional Regulatory Associations.
As highlighted in our previous meetings, RAs are essential drivers of this initiative,
bringing regional perspectives, facilitating peer learning,
and acting as ambassadors of the DRN at all levels.
Your contributions ensure that global principles are translated into practical, regionally relevant solutions.
Our work on the Best Practice Guidelines reflects this ambition.
The focus on the “Regulatory Governance Essentials” challenges us to define not only what regulation should achieve,
but how it can remain adaptive, measurable and effective across sectors and borders.
It also reinforces the importance of regional cooperation in reducing fragmentation,
and strengthening regulatory outcomes globally.
The message from all our engagements is clear:
no regulator, no region, can address today’s challenges alone.
But together, through platforms like the DRN, we can move faster, learn effectively, and build the trusted, inclusive and resilient digital ecosystems our societies need.
I am confident that by combining our strengths, we can unlock the full potential of digital transformation for all.
Before concluding, I have an announcement to make. I just received a letter from Dr. Leonilde Santos who, on behalf of ARCTEL-CPLP, formally expressed the Association interest to join the Digital Regulation Network. Can we receive ARCTEL by acclamation please? Dr. Helena Fernandes is representing ARCTEL today.
Thank you!
