{"id":7,"date":"2025-12-16T14:27:06","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T14:27:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/meetings\/wtis26\/?page_id=7"},"modified":"2026-07-02T16:00:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T16:00:57","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/meetings\/wtis26\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \"Background\n
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World
Telecommunication
ICT Indicators
Symposium<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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WTIS-26 speakers<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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<\/a>
Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava<\/font>


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

<\/a>
Ms Rabia Awan<\/font>


WTIS-26 Chair
Deputy Director General (BS-20)
Population Census Section\/PSLM Section
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

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H.E. Mr Radoslav Nastasijevikj Vardjiski<\/font>


Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation
North Macedonia (Republic of)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
H.E. Ms Sarah Maria Q. Sison<\/font>


Undersecretary for Policy and Legal
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)
Philippines (Republic of the)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Dr Georges-Simon Ulrich<\/font>


Director General
Federal Statistical Office (FSO)
Switzerland (Confederation of)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Dr Iza Razija Me\u0161evi\u0107<\/font>


Chairwoman
Council of the Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Mr Moritz Stefaner<\/font>


Truth and Beauty Operator
Germany (Federal Republic of)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Ms Linah Ngumba<\/font>


EGH Chair
Head
ICT Statistics Section
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Mr Marco Marini<\/font>


Division Chief
Statistics Department
International Monetary Fund (IMF)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div>

<\/a>
Mr Panayiotis Kyriakides<\/font>


EGTI Chair
Economist
Office of the Commissioner for Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation (OCECPR)
Cyprus (Republic of)<\/font><\/p><\/center><\/div><\/div><\/div>

X<\/a>

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

Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava took office as Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023.
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\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\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.
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\r\nFrom 2010 until 2019, he was Chief of the Projects and Knowledge Management, responsible for ITU’s project portfolio, statistics, capacity building, and emergency telecommunications activities, as well as coordinating special assistance to least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and small island developing states (SIDS).
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\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.
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\r\nEarlier, Dr Zavazava headed the Republic of Zimbabwe’s Government Telecommunications Agency and served as a senior diplomat. He also taught MBA classes at the UK’s Nottingham Trent University.
\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\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.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

X<\/a>

Ms Rabia Awan<\/p><\/div>

Ms Rabia Awan is a senior statistician and development professional with over 25 years of experience in official statistics, census and survey management, data governance, monitoring and evaluation, and evidence-based policymaking. She currently serves as Deputy Director General at the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), where she leads the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM), Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES), and major national census initiatives. She played a leading role in the implementation of Pakistan’s first Digital Population and Housing Census and has overseen the design and execution of numerous nationwide socio-economic surveys. Rabia has extensive experience in SDG monitoring, poverty measurement, digital transformation, ICT statistics, and international statistical reporting. She has also led the integration of ICT modules into regular PSLM and HIES surveys in accordance with ITU standards, strengthening Pakistan’s ICT data ecosystem and international reporting mechanisms. She is an active contributor to digital inclusion initiatives and served on the Research and Data Collection Working Group for Pakistan’s Digital Gender Inclusion Strategy<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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H.E. Mr Radoslav Nastasijevikj Vardjiski<\/p><\/div>

H.E. Mr Radoslav Nastasijevikj Vardjiski is the Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of the Republic of North Macedonia. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Marketing Management from the European University in Skopje and has an extensive professional background in digital transformation, information technology, digital communications, and public administration.
\r\nBefore his appointment as Deputy Minister, he held several senior positions within the Municipality of Kumanovo, including Head of the Sector for Mayoral and Council Support, Information, Public Relations and Information Technology. Earlier in his career, he served in leadership roles within the private sector, managing digital marketing, web development, and technology projects for clients across North Macedonia and international markets. He has also lectured in digital marketing at the postgraduate level and has worked as an independent consultant on digital strategy, communications, and technology initiatives.
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H.E. Ms Sarah Maria Q. Sison<\/p><\/div>

Undersecretary Ms Sarah Maria Q. Sison serves as the Undersecretary for Policy and Legal and the Head of the Gender and Development (GAD) Program of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). In this capacity, she exercises direct supervision over the National ICT Planning, Policy, and Standards Bureau and the Legal Service.
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\r\nCompleted her Bachelor of Arts Major in Humanities at the Ateneo de Manila University where she also obtained her Juris Doctor degree in 2008. Upon passing the bar in 2009, she commenced litigation practice with the Escudero Marasigan Vallente and E.H. Villareal Lawfirm. She then worked in the Office of the President and the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office in Malaca\u0441ang Palace from 2010 to 2016. She became a Partner at Reyes Rojas and Associates Lawfirm in 2022.
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\r\nShe moved to Geneva, Switzerland for further studies and in 2017 obtained her LL.M in International Dispute Settlement from the University of Geneva and Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. In 2018, she obtained her second LL.M in International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution from the National University of Singapore where she was an NUS Center for International Law Merit Scholar. She is a founding member of the Young Philippine Institute of Arbitrators and is currently the VP for International Initiatives of the Philippine Institute of Arbitrators.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

X<\/a>

Dr Georges-Simon Ulrich<\/p><\/div>

Prof. Dr Georges-Simon Ulrich was appointed Director General of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) by the Federal Council on 1st October 2013. He studied Business Administration in Switzerland, the USA (University of Virginia, Darden Business school) and Australia, where he obtained his PhD at the University of Southern Queensland with a thesis on Stakeholder management and communication. He is also Professor in strategic management and research methods at the University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration Zurich.
\r\nBetween 1992 and 2010 Mr Ulrich worked as an entrepreneur, holding various management positions in market, social, and opinion research. From May 2011 to September 2013, he was Director of the LUSTAT statistical office in Lucerne. Georges-Simon Ulrich represents Switzerland on behalf of the FSO’s areas of responsibility (official statistics, data stewardship and data science) in various national and international committees at Eurostat, OECD and EFTA. From 2022 to 2026, he was a member of the UN Statistical Commission’s Bureau and, in 2024 and 2025, its Chair.
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X<\/a>

Dr Iza Razija Me\u0161evi\u0107<\/p><\/div>

Dr. iur. Iza Razija Me\u0161evi\u0107 is the Chairwoman of the Council of the Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and a full professor of law at University of Sarajevo and Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, specialized in Intellectual Property Law (IP) and AI & Technology Law. In some of her other capacities, she is also the Lead legal expert for drafting the first Law on Innovations of Sarajevo Canton, trainer in the field of IP for the Centre for the Education of Judges and Prosecutors of the Federation of B&H and a TEDx speaker. Professor Me\u0161evi\u0107 is the author of numerous monographs and research papers in the field of IP. In the last few years, her research is predominantly focused on the issues which emerging digital technologies and phenomenon pose on IP rights.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

X<\/a>

Mr Moritz Stefaner<\/p><\/div>

As a self-employed \u201cTruth and Beauty Operator\u201d, Mr Moritz Stefaner keeps chasing the perfect shape for information.
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\r\nWith a background in Cognitive Science and Interface Design, his work beautifully balances analytical and aesthetic aspects in mapping complex phenomena to support data\u2013driven decision making.
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\r\nMoritz has helped clients like the OECD, Google News Initiative, Salesforce, the World Economic Forum, Deutsche Bahn and the Max Planck Research Society to find insights and beauty in large and complex data sets.
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\r\nHe is the record winner of the Kantar Information is Beautiful awards and his work has been exhibited at Venice Biennale of Architecture, SIGGRAPH, Max Planck Science Gallery, Fondation EDF, and Ars Electronica.
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\r\nAs a writer, co-host of the Data Stories podcast, and sought-after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, Moritz Stefaner continues to excite more and more people about the magic that can emerge when art and science connect deeply.
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X<\/a>

Ms Linah Ngumba<\/p><\/div>

As a trailblazer in the field of ICT statistics, Ms Linah Ngumba spearheads this sector at the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the National Statistics Office (NSO). She handles ICT-related research and analysis in the organization. Ms Ngumba was instrumental in establishing the ICT statistics division, introducing the Economic Survey report, orchestrating ICT enterprise and public institution surveys, and integrating an ICT module in the integrated household budget surveys and the 2019 Population and Household Census. Currently, she chairs the International Telecommunication Union’s Expert Group on ICT Household Indicators. Ms Ngumba hold master’s degrees in the fields of Communications Management and Economics, in addition to her bachelor\u2019s degree in economics and Statistics.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

X<\/a>

Mr Marco Marini<\/p><\/div>

Mr Marco Marini is Division Chief in the Statistics Department of the IMF. He leads and coordinates a wide range of projects and activities related to data governance and data analytics for the Fund, including oversight of the IMF Big Data Center. He is the author of several scientific publications on topics related to economic measurement, including national accounts, benchmarking, data revisions, forecasting, and seasonal adjustment. Prior to joining the IMF, he was a senior researcher at Istat, the Italian National Statistical Institute. He holds a PhD in Statistical Methods for Business and Economics from the University of Rome \u201cRoma Tre.\u201d<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

X<\/a>

Mr Panayiotis Kyriakides<\/p><\/div>

Panayiotis Kyriakides is an Economist at the Office of the Commissioner for Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation (OCECPR) of Cyprus. He serves as Vice-Chair of the ITU Expert Group on Telecom\/ICT Indicators (EGTI) for the 2025\u20132028 term and represents Cyprus as the national focal point for the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index. He has over 15 years of experience in telecom regulation, ICT statistics, and for the past 5 years in cybersecurity indicators. He led the design of Cyprus\u2019 national ICT Observatory, contributed to the first effort to revise the ITU ICT Development Index, and co-chairs the Contact Network of the Euro-Mediterranean Regulators Group (EMERG). He has also been appointed to ENISA\u2019s informal task force for the revision of the Cybersecurity Index.
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\n \"Decorative\n
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\n Under the theme \u201cGuiding digital policy through statistics\u201d, the 21st edition of the World Telecommunication\/ICT Indicators Symposium (WTIS-26) will explore how data can better inform decision-making in a fast-evolving digital landscape. It will bring together policymakers, statisticians, and industry experts to examine emerging areas of measurement including digital inclusion, integration of new data sources to address persistent data gaps, the use of artificial intelligence, and indicators to measure the sustainability of digital transformation. Through keynotes, interactive discussions, and case studies, the symposium will highlight innovative approaches to data and strengthen the link between evidence and policy, while fostering dialogue on emerging priorities for digital development. A more detailed programme of the symposium will be made available here closer to the event.

WTIS-26 will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 7 to 8 September 2026. The symposium is organized back-to-back with the 2026 edition of the annual EGTI\/EGH meetings which will take place from 9 to 11 September 2026. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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\n \"icon\"\n

WTIS-26 invitation letter<\/p>\n

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Register now!<\/p>\n

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Look back at WTIS-25<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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