{"id":507,"date":"2026-02-19T04:09:38","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T04:09:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/meetings\/rdf\/?page_id=507"},"modified":"2026-06-18T09:51:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T09:51:09","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/meetings\/rdf\/home\/rdf-2026\/americas\/home\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

With the High\u2011Level Participation of<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>
Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava<\/font>


Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)
ITU<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
H.E. Ms Gloria Patricia Perdomo Rangel <\/font>


Vice-Minister of Connectivity
Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies (MinTIC)
Colombia<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
H.E. Mr Dominic Smith <\/font>


Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence
Trinidad and Tobago<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Mr Matteo Banti <\/font>


Head of Cooperation for Costa Rica, Panama, and Central America
European Union (DG INTPA). <\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Mr Oscar Leon<\/font>


Executive Secretary of Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Ms Angeles Ayala<\/font>


Executive Secretary of Comisi\u00f3n T\u00e9cnica Regional de Telecomunicaciones (COMTELCA)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Ms Julissa Cruz <\/font>


Director of Sustainable Digital Infrastructure, CAF
Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
H.E. Mr Andr\u00e9s Ehrler <\/font>


Minister of Tourism
Honduras (Republic of)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Mr Rodney Taylor<\/font>


Secretary-General of Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
H.E. Mr Fran\u00e7ois Roudi\u00e9 <\/font>


Ambassador of the European Union to Colombia<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Mr Dean Molina <\/font>


President of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
Belize<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Mr Felipe D\u00edaz <\/font>


Commissioner of Communications Regulation Commission
Colombia<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Mr Alberto Menguini <\/font>


Head of Cooperation
European Union Delegation to Colombia<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div><\/div><\/div>

X<\/a>

Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava<\/p><\/div>

Co<\/strong>smas Zavazava took office as Director of the\u200b\u00a0<\/strong>Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)\u00a0<\/strong>at the International Te\u200blecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023.
\r\n<\/strong>
\r\nWith more than 30 years in telecommunications, including over 20 years in ITU’s Development Sector, Dr Zavazava has promoted and implemented impactful information and communication technology projects around the world.
\r\n
\r\nPrior to his election as BDT Director, he served as ITU’s Chief of Partnerships for Digital Development , overseeing development-related projects, strategic partnerships, and resource mobilization between 2019 and 2022, while launching new initiatives that have boosted the engagement of industry, private-sector and academia members in ITU’s work.
\r\n
\r\nPreviously, as ITU’s Chief of Projects and Initiatives, he oversaw development projects focused on gender, youth, and people with special needs, along with capacity building, emergency telecommunications, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and e-waste management.
\r\n


\r\n
\r\nEarlier, Dr Zavazava headed the Republic of Zimbabwe’s Government Telecommunications Agency and served as a senio\u200br diplomat. He also taught MBA classes at the UK’s Nottingham Trent University.
\r\n
\r\nThroughout his career, he has focused on closing the digital and skills divide and accelerating digital transformation to achieve socio-economic development for all.
\r\n
\r\nDr Zavazava holds a PhD in Multilateral Trade from Business School Lausanne (Switzerland), and a Master of Laws degree in Telecommunications and Information Technology from the University of Strathclyde (UK), as well as a Master’s in International Relations from Webster University (US), and an MBA from the University of Zimbabwe. He also holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and diplomas in Telecommunications and Systems Engineering.
\r\n
\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
X<\/a>

Mr Oscar Leon<\/p><\/div>


\nMr. Oscar Leon is the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission CITEL \/ OEA. Mr. Leon was Director General of the National Spectrum Agency of Colombia, Regulation Manager of CLARO COLOMBIA (AMERICA MOBIL) and has been an advisor to multiple ICT Ministers and Regulatory Authorities in Latin America. He worked at the TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATOR OF COLOMBIA – CRC and was Project Director at MICROSOFT Solution Providers.
\nMr. Leon has more than 25 years of experience in the ICT sector, he has extensive experience in project management and implementation of new businesses and appropriation of new technologies. He is Electronic Engineer with a Postgraduate Degree in Telecommunications Project Management and a Master’s in Business Administration.
\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

X<\/a>

Ms Angeles Ayala<\/p><\/div>

Ms. Ayala has a degree in International Business from the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico, she also has a Master’s degree in Technology Administration from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), both are the highest study houses in said City.
\r\n
\r\nShe has 14 years of experience in the telecommunications and information technology sector. She was part of the international team of the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation of Mexico, which led the work of the Mexican Administration in forums and specialized International Organizations in the sector, such as the Mesoamerica Project, the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (CITEL) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). During the last three years in the aforementioned entity, she supervised the satellite coordination of Mexico together with the Radiocommunications Office of the International Telecommunications Union.
\r\n
\r\nCurrently, Ms. Angeles Ayala Correa is Deputy Secretary of the Regional Technical Telecommunications Commission (COMTELCA) in Central America.\u202f
\r\n
\r\n <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\n

The ITU Regional Development Forum for the Americas 2026 (RDF-AMS) took place from 16 to 17 June 2026 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. It is followed on 18 June by the ITU Regional Workshop on Regulatory Innovation and Sandbox, held back-to-back with the RDF at the same venue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

RDF\u2011AMS was organized with the support of the Communication Regulatory Commission of Colombia (CRC), Colombia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Under the overarching theme \u201cUniversal, meaningful, and affordable connectivity for an inclusive and sustainable digital future,\u201d RDF-AMS provided a high-level platform for dialogue among ITU Member States, Sector Members, Associates, Academia, regional and international organizations, development partners and other stakeholders from across the Americas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

The Forum:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n