Highlights – June 2025
23 – 27 June
Digital services and applications: Asia and the Pacific
The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) hosted a webinar “Towards Digital Transformation: Ensuring an Equitable and Inclusive Society” to commemorate World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) 2025. It focused on inclusive and sustainable digital transformation, featuring expert discussions on emerging technologies and policy innovations to tackle socio-economic challenges. The ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific presented the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau’s (BDT) Whole-of-Government Approach to Digital Transformation, showcasing regional initiatives in Asia and the Pacific that advance inclusive connectivity, capacity building, and policy support.
Emergency telecommunications: Asia and the Pacific
In collaboration with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), ITU BDT conducted an Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Pillar 3 workshop for national stakeholders to support the development of a National Emergency Telecommunication Plan (NETP) and Cell Broadcast-based Early Warning System in Bangladesh. The workshop enhanced institutional and national capacity across policy, regulatory, legal and technical domains to support the implementation of Bangladesh’s NETP framework and Cell Broadcast Early Warning System. The outcomes advance the validation of the EW4All National Roadmap in Bangladesh.
Environment: Asia and the Pacific
A mid-term review meeting was held in Bangkok, as part of the Creating a Circular Economy for Electronics and Electricals project in Thailand, supported by Australia’s Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (DITRDCSA). Key progress updates were shared, including insights from the financing study conducted by Black Forest Solutions, a specialized environmental service provider. Stakeholders, including the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), came together to reflect on recent developments and jointly plan the next steps of the project.
BDT Project #7RAS24075
Statistics: Asia and the Pacific
In collaboration with the Bureau of Communications of Palau, with financial support from the European Union and the Joint SDG Fund, a subregional workshop was held in Koror, Palau, to promote and measure Universal and Meaningful Connectivity (UMC). Participants from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Pacific discussed integrating UMC into digital policies, enhancing collaboration between policymakers and statisticians, and strategies to overcome measurement challenges.
Web Page
BDT Project #9GLO23123 UMC project
Other: Asia and the Pacific
The ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific participated as a Development Partner in the 2025 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Digital Senior Officials’ Meeting–ASEAN Telecommunication Regulators’ Council (ADGSOM–ATRC) Joint Working Group Meetings held in Siem Reap.
The Regional Office shared programmes and upcoming plans aligned with the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 (ADM 2025) and the ITU–ASEAN Priority Cooperation Areas (PCA), and presented proposals for 2026 on telecommunications, ICTs, and digital development.
A proposal by the Regional Office to establish a dedicated working group on infrastructure under the ASEAN Telecommunication Regulators’ Council framework was positively received. The Regional Office also briefed ASEAN Member States in the ASEAN Network Security Action Council (ANSAC) on ITU BDT cybersecurity initiatives.
16 – 20 June
16 – 20 June
9 – 13 June
2 – 6 June
Digital inclusion: Asia and the Pacific
The ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific took part in the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) celebrations hosted by the Ministry of Communications and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. A key moment of the celebrations was the launch of the ITU’s 160th Anniversary Commemorative Stamp by H.E. Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Communications, highlighting the ITU’s commitment to emerging technologies, space, and mobile innovation. The Regional Office also addressed the Girls in ICT Day Malaysia 2025 event, held as part of the celebrations, engaging students and women leaders from ten universities.
Digital inclusion: Asia and the Pacific
The ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific took part in the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) celebrations hosted by the Ministry of Communications and the Malaysian Communications and celebrations was the launch of the ITU’s 160th Anniversary Commemorative Stamp by H.E. Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Communications, highlighting the ITU’s commitment to emerging technologies, space, and mobile innovation. The Regional Office also addressed the Girls in ICT Day Malaysia 2025 event, held as part Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. A key moment of the of the celebrations, engaging students and women leaders from ten universities.
Digital services and applications: Asia and the Pacific
Under the Joint SDG Fund and ITU-DITRDCA project, the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific organised a workshop on the whole-of-government approach and Smart Islands project for national stakeholders in Vanuatu. The workshop provided capacity building on designing and implementing digital government solutions using the GovStack framework.
Network and digital infrastructure: Asia and the Pacific
The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific conducted an interactive online knowledge-sharing session for young entrepreneurs participating in the upcoming Youth Climate Innovation Programme, organised by the Climate Technology Centre and Network. The session focused on enhancing early warning dissemination through the integration of Cell Broadcasting, the Common Alerting Protocol, and the application of Disaster Connectivity Maps.
Digital services and applications: Asia and the Pacific
The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific conducted an interactive online knowledge-sharing session for young entrepreneurs participating in the upcoming Youth Climate Innovation Programme, organised by the Climate Technology Centre and Network. The session focused on enhancing early warning dissemination through the integration of Cell Broadcasting, the Common Alerting Protocol, and the application of Disaster Connectivity Maps.
Emergency telecommunications: Asia and the Pacific
The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific conducted an interactive online knowledge-sharing session for young entrepreneurs participating in the upcoming Youth Climate Innovation Programme, organised by the Climate Technology Centre and Network. The session focused on enhancing early warning dissemination through the integration of Cell Broadcasting, the Common Alerting Protocol, and the application of Disaster Connectivity Maps.
Emergency telecommunications: Asia and the Pacific
The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific presented its activities under Pillar 3 of the UN’s Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative at a workshop organised by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The workshop focused on anticipatory action and early warning systems in fragile, conflict, and violence-affected contexts. The two-day event brought together representatives from various UN agencies, including the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and UN Women. International organizations such as the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), People in Need (PIN), and the German Red Cross also participated. Additionally, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies from countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Thailand were in attendance. The Regional Office emphasized the importance of inclusive, people-cantered approaches to early warning dissemination, effective deployment of Cell Broadcasting, the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), and Disaster Connectivity Maps (DCM), as well as the significance of the National Emergency Telecommunications Plan (NETP).
Policy and regulation: Asia and the Pacific
The ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific participated in the World Mobile Broadband Cloud & AI Summit 2025 and delivered a keynote address to emphasise the need for inclusive, people-centred 5G development to support public services and bridge the digital divide. The Regional Office highlighted the commitment to affordable connectivity, modernised infrastructure, and innovative spectrum policies, while commending Viet Nam’s leadership in digital transformation. The Summit gathered stakeholders across sectors to explore how 5G, AI, and cloud technologies can drive sustainable digital growth in the region.