Highlights – July 2026

Capacity development: Africa

From 6-17 July, the “Laying the foundation for VaMoz Digital!” project supported the Government of Mozambique in advancing digital skills by implementing the second edition of the Digital Skills Training for Youth in Matola, Mozambique. The programme equipped more than 60 technical and vocational students (over 70% young women) with robotics and coding skills. Through hands-on training, participants learned to develop technology-based solutions to their local challenges using coding, sensors, actuators, and development platforms, and also completed ITU’s African Girls Can Code (AGCC) mini-course online. Building on the successful 2025 pilot, the initiative reinforces the Government’s commitment to expanding opportunities for girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and strengthening Mozambique’s capacity to drive inclusive digital transformation.

[This activity is the result of a BDT project. You can find more details of the project here]

Capacity development: Asia and the Pacific

The closing event of the project “Artificial Intelligence Technology and Standards Capacity Building in the Asia Pacific” was organised online from 24-25 June, which brought together the donor Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) Japan, beneficiaries from 15 Member States, and various partners. Phase I of the project delivered successful trainings organised in India, Malaysia, Bhutan and Cambodia via the ITU Academy platform, training over 250 participants from 15 Member States.

All workshops consistently received excellent participant evaluations, leading to repeat requests from host institutions and cost-sharing arrangements demonstrating sustainable demand and strong ownership amongst the Member States. The beneficiaries expressed their appreciation to MIC Japan and ITU for the trainings provided in 2025 and provided feedback for the upcoming trainings to be delivered under Phase II, where the geographical focus will expand to cover the African region as well. Development partners including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the International Labour Organization (ILO) joined the session on 25 June, where they deliberated on strategic aspects of AI and how it will impact jobs and society. The partners further expressed their interest in partnering with ITU for future trainings.

Digital inclusion: Global

On 30 June, BDT hosted two virtual webinars to present key preliminary findings from the forthcoming report “Artificial Intelligence and Ageing: Inclusive Pathways for Older Persons in a Digital World”, developed jointly with EY and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. The event brought together representatives from governments, academia, the private sector and international organizations to discuss how artificial intelligence can better support ageing populations and address the intersecting barriers of age, gender and geography that limit AI adoption, particularly among older women.

Representatives from several organizations leading initiatives featured as case studies in the report also shared their insights, challenges and perspectives, illustrating real-world efforts to leverage artificial intelligence to support the inclusion, participation and well-being of older persons. Discussions underscored the need for inclusive artificial intelligence policies, age- and gender-responsive design, digital literacy, and cross-sector partnerships to ensure that older persons can participate fully in an AI-enabled society and benefit from digital transformation.

Digital inclusion: Global

On 2 June, under the ITU–Qualcomm Her Digital Skills for Life initiative and in collaboration with the ITU Regional Office for Africa and the Centre for Information, Technology and Development (CITAD), two workshops were conducted in Gombe and Plateau States, Nigeria. A total of 107 young women received training in essential digital skills for education and employment, with a focus on artificial intelligence and mobile app development. These workshops were organized to address the need to equip young women with necessary digital skills, and they have contributed to enhancing participants’ readiness for future opportunities in the digital economy.

[This activity is the result of a BDT project. You can find more details of the project here]

Emergency telecommunications: Arab States

The Early Warnings for All (EW4All) National Consultative Workshop for Morocco was held from 24 to 26 June in Casablanca, jointly organized by the General Directorate of Meteorology under the Ministry of Equipment and Water and the Directorate of Natural Risk Management under the Ministry of the Interior, and in collaboration with the EW4All pillar lead agencies: UNDRR, WMO, ITU, through BDT, and IFRC. Bringing together representatives from government institutions, UN and other international organizations, academia, the media, civil society, and youth groups, the consultation provided a platform to assess Morocco’s early warning system, identify gaps and needs across the early warning value chain, and develop a national roadmap and plan of action. Participants also discussed governance arrangements, financing mechanisms, and inclusive approaches to ensure that warnings reach all communities. The workshop concluded with the adoption of the Moroccan EW4All National Roadmap 2027-2029, marking an important milestone towards a more coordinated, inclusive, and effective early warning system in Morocco.

Emergency telecommunications: Africa

The “Strengthening Uganda’s Capacity in Community Early Warning Systems (CEWS) ” workshop was held from 22 to 26 June in Entebbe, organized by BDT, NetHope, GSMA, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and in collaboration with Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance. The workshop brought together 47 participants – including mobile network operators, key alerting authorities, and community leaders with roles in disaster response coordination and climate adaptation planning – equipping them with practical skills in hazard monitoring, risk communication, and digital early warning dissemination.

In leading the warning dissemination and communication pillar of the Early Warnings for All initiative, BDT performed a pre-workshop ecosystem assessment, ensuring that the workshop agenda was grounded in Uganda’s specific hazard risks and connectivity realities. In addition, following a survey to identify how communities in Uganda receive life-saving alerts and understanding the current challenges, BDT also introduced the participants to digital alerting tools such as SMS and cell broadcast systems, which can complement CEWS. By the end of the workshop, participants received access to a self-directed online course to train others in their communities, helping expand the effort to build disaster-resilient communities across Africa.

Emergency telecommunications: Global

On 8 July, at the WSIS Forum, the session “How technological innovation could improve early warning system and traditional media alerts in case of disasters” organized jointly by ITU-BDT, UNESCO, Eurovisioni, and the European Broadcasting Union highlighted the role of broadcasters and traditional media in strengthening people-centred early warning systems. Showcasing examples from South Sudan, with support of the National Communication Authority of South Sudan, and presenting two studies, the ITU-EBU publication on “Media Broadcast Channels in Warning Dissemination,” and UNESCO’s “Model Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan for Media Organisations”, the event stressed on the importance of timely, trusted information – coming from traditional forms and institutions of the media – in helping communities prepare for disasters and save lives.

Emergency telecommunications: Africa

On 6-7 July, in Niamey, BDT, together with Niger’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection, the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Postal Services (ARCEP), and national partners, convened an Early Warnings for All national workshop on warning dissemination and communication, including a training on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) for Niger. Stakeholders identified priorities to improve how alerts can save lives and protect livelihoods and highlighted the potential of cell broadcast and the importance of CAP. The workshop paved way for the Government to set the priorities and address the gaps to ensure life-saving early warnings will reach everyone in the country when it matters the most.

Environment: Global

At the WSIS Forum’s “Building E-waste Management Systems” session on 6 July, industry leaders highlighted the need for stronger public-private collaboration, effective producer responsibility systems and regulations, and practical implementation to close the global e-waste gap. The event, organized by BDT and the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia served to highlight the progress achieved under the ITU-CST project, “Developing and implementing e-waste policy and regulation for a circular economy​ in Paraguay, Rwanda, and Zambia,” and concluded with a reminder that turning e-waste policy into action is crucial in tackling this global challenge.

Policy and regulation: Africa

From 29 June to 2 July, the ITU Regional Office for Africa, in partnership with the World Bank and in collaboration with Smart Africa and the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA), organized and delivered a regional training on satellite regulation for English-speaking African countries in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The four-day capacity development programme with a site visit to the Satellite Ground Control Center organized by the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute, brought together regulators, satellite agency representatives, policymakers and technical experts from 13 African countries to strengthen regulatory and institutional capacity for satellite communications, spectrum and orbit management, and emerging low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems. The programme, with certification through the ITU Academy, provides a unique platform for satellite experts from Member States to exchange insights and brainstorm solutions, working toward building a community of practice across the continent.

The training covered satellite technologies and applications, procurement and contracting models, affordability and meaningful connectivity, ITU international satellite regulatory frameworks, spectrum coordination procedures, licensing of LEO networks, cybersecurity and sovereignty considerations, emergency communications and early warning systems, as well as practical exercises using ITU regulatory tools and databases. Participants also exchanged national experiences through country presentations, highlighting lessons learned and regulatory approaches from across the continent. ITU experts and partners emphasized the importance of enabling regulatory environments that support innovation while ensuring efficient management of spectrum and orbital resources, mitigation of harmful interference, space sustainability, and increased connectivity for underserved communities. The programme concluded with discussions on practical regulatory case studies and a technical visit to the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute, further strengthening regional knowledge exchange and cooperation on satellite communications and digital connectivity.

Policy and regulation: Africa

Under the ITU Africa-BB-Maps project, the Africa-Europe Study Visit and Policy Training Workshop, held in Warsaw, Poland from 30 June to 2 July, brought together regulators from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda under the East Africa Communications Organisation (EACO)​ cohort to strengthen policy and regulatory capacities for broadband mapping systems.

The programme included three hands-on policy simulations on national broadband data reporting and QA/QC frameworks, cross-border interoperability and metadata harmonisation, and regulatory enforcement, appeals, and institutional credibility. These practical exercises were complemented by a study visit to the Ministry of Digital Affairs providing direct insight into European regulatory practices and institutional frameworks. The activity strengthened Africa-Europe knowledge exchange under the EU Global Gateway initiative and advanced regional harmonisation approaches for digital connectivity.