Mr Wetang Phuangsup, Secretary General, National Board of the Digital Economy and Society, Thailand
Mr Martin Creaner, Director General of WBBA
Distinguished leaders from industry and associations,
Colleagues, and friends.
It is my pleasure to join you today for this important gathering.
I would like to commend the World Broadband Association for bringing us together at such a critical moment for the future of connectivity.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, we are witnessing both extraordinary opportunity and persistent gaps.
This is why our shared mission must go beyond expanding infrastructure,to build smart, resilient and inclusive connectivity.
Ladies and gentlemen, the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2025 re-affirmed the ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau’s mandate to do just that, and provided us with a clear roadmap in the Baku Action Plan.
In Asia-Pacific, this translates into practical priorities including expanding resilient broadband infrastructure, strengthening digital skills, leveraging emerging technologies including AI,
and enhancing disaster preparedness through early warning systems.
Our work in Asia-Pacific over the past four years is already seeing tangible impact across the region.
Through initiatives like Smart Village Smart Islands, remote communities in the Pacific and other countries are being connected, enabling access to essential digital services.
Digital skills programmes are empowering young people,
especially women, to participate in the digital economy.
And AI-enabled early warning systems are improving disaster resilience in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries.
These examples remind us that connectivity is not just about technology.
It is a lifeline, a platform for opportunity, and a driver of sustainable development.
Today’s theme is ‘AI-powered connectivity’, and that points to a transformative shift. AI depends on strong digital infrastructure,
but it is also making networks smarter, more efficient, and more resilient.
The Development Bureau is bringing this shift to bear on our work. This includes developing technical frameworks, guidelines, and assessment methodologies to be used by regulators and operators, as well as delivering hands-on capacity building and technical assistance.
But this work requires strong partnerships, between governments, industry, international organizations and development partners.
Allow me to highlight three priorities for those partnerships.
First, investing in AI-ready infrastructure to support future demand.
Second, ensuring no one is left behind by closing the digital divide.
And, third, strengthening regional and global collaboration to scale impact and governance.
Ladies and gentlemen, we stand at the intersection of connectivity and artificial intelligence. If we harness these forces wisely, we can unlock unprecedented opportunities for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
I would like to warmly invite all of you to continue this important dialogue at the upcoming Regional Development Forum,
which will be held here in Bangkok later this week.
The Forum’s theme is “advancing universal, meaningful, and affordable connectivity for an inclusive and sustainable digital future”, and it will provide a strategic platform for policymakers, regulators, industry, academia and development partners,
allowing you to exchange views, align regional priorities and strengthen partnerships.
It will also offer opportunities to match digital developmental needs with partner commitments, mobilize collaboration through initiatives such as Partner2Connect, and accelerate collective efforts towards inclusive and sustainable digital transformation across the Asia-Pacific region.
In conclusion, let us work together to ensure that the future we build is not only digital and intelligent, but also inclusive, resilient and human-centred.
Thank you!
