Today we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the World Telecommunication and Information Society, focusing on the importance of international standards for technology to accelerate innovation in the world.
Advances in technology such as 5G and the Internet of Things hold the promise of significant economic and social benefits and accelerated progress towards achieving sustainable development goals. The development of standards by the International Telecommunication Union is of particular importance in this regard, and I welcome the commitment to inclusiveness, consensus and reconciliation among governments, societies and universities around the world. whole.
Alongside these invaluable elements, we must also emphasize our shared responsibility to ensure that these technologies are not used to incite violence, fuel hatred or mislead the public. We must be alert to these perils and to others, while combining our efforts to harness technological advances for the public good.
On this World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, let us make a commitment to work together to ensure that the digital economy produces results for all.
António Guterres
UN Secretary-General
