Highlights – November 2025
10 – 28 November
ITU Development Sector: Global
The World Telecommunication Development Conference 2025 (WTDC-25) was successfully concluded on 28 November 2025, in Baku, Azerbaijan. WTDC-25 set a clear direction for our collective work over the coming cycle (2026- 2029) and established outcomes that will shape the future of telecommunication development globally.
In line with the goals of the conference, WTDC-25 set priorities for ITU-D for the next four years (2026– 2029), and also approved a detailed Baku Action Plan, which will guide ITU’s digital development initiatives. These efforts will pay particular attention to the world’s most vulnerable areas, such as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
With an estimated 2.2 billion people worldwide still offline, the four-year plan spanning 2026 to 2029 supports efforts to advance universal, meaningful and affordable digital connectivity for an inclusive and sustainable digital future.
Read the closing press release
Capacity development: Africa
As part of the Laying the foundation for VaMoz Digital! project, stakeholders from government, private sector, civil society, and academia gathered in Maputo on 20 November to discuss the preliminary findings of Mozambique’s National Digital Skills Supply and Demand Assessment. Stakeholders explored digital skills gaps across public, private, and key economic sectors, and helped shape elements of an action plan. The session closed with a commitment to develop a roadmap, define roles, and strengthen coordination for Mozambique’s digital future.
As part of the same project, the ITU Regional Office for Africa participated in Mozambique’s International Cyber Week (17–21 November) to support national cybersecurity capacity building. The Office shared insights on Mozambique’s Global Cybersecurity Index ranking, raised awareness on Cyber Incident Response Teams, and presented initiatives such as the Women in Cyber Programme and Her CyberTracks. These programmes aim to build a skilled, gender-inclusive cybersecurity workforce. Participants expressed interest in establishing a CyberTracks for Women programme in Mozambique.
Digital inclusion: Africa
At UNESCO’s Empowering Women in Science Continental Virtual Dialogue on 27 November, the ITU Regional Office for Africa shared insights on how to leverage enabling technologies, data, and AI for equity, and highlighted ITU’s training and mentorship opportunities for women and girls.
Digital innovation ecosystem: Asia and the Pacific
On 13 November, the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific took part in a panel during the launch of the Pakistan Digital Sector Roadmap. Organized by Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom, Ignite National Technology Fund, and the Asian Development Bank, the discussion highlighted opportunities to advance Pakistan’s digital future through its national roadmap. The Office’s contributions focused on programmes such as the Acceleration Centre at Ignite and Smart Villages Pakistan, as well as prospects for further collaboration and partnership.
Digital services and applications: Asia and the Pacific
Electronic equipment was delivered to three newly established Resource Centres in Drekikier, Vanimo Green River, and Wyomn secondary schools in East and West Sepik provinces under the European Union – Support to Rural Entrepreneurship, Investment and Trade in Papua New Guinea (EU-STREIT PNG) Programme jointly with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Resource centres support capacity building, financial services, e-marketplaces, agriculture extension and support services, and improve connectivity and access to information.
Emergency telecommunications: Asia and the Pacific
On 12 November, at the request of the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific delivered a virtual capacity-building session for the ETC Country Office IT team in Myanmar. The session outlined how the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) supports emergency humanitarian efforts in the region, including mobilizing emergency resources, pre-positioning equipment, providing technical assistance for emergency warning dissemination and communication, activating disaster connectivity maps, and leveraging early warning connectivity tools. Participants included representatives from UN agencies such as WFP and the United Nations Development Programme.
Emergency telecommunications: Asia and the Pacific
On 11 November, the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific participated in the GSMA workshop in Nepal to validate cell broadcast readiness. The Office provided guidance on the steps for deploying cell broadcast in Nepal, and highlighted ITU’s contribution to the country’s Early Warnings For All National (EW4All) Roadmap 2026-2030.
Emergency telecommunications: CIS
From 25 to 27 November, BDT joined the Interpillar Workshop that launched the EW4All initiative in Armenia. The workshop served as a platform to integrate the EW4All footprint in Armenia, conduct a national gap analysis across the four EW4All pillars, and begin developing a national roadmap to strengthen the country’s early warning systems. BDT advanced the Pillar 3 mandate by leading sessions on multi-channel systems for warning dissemination and communication. The workshop was jointly organized by the pillar lead agencies—the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies—along with the United Nations Development Programme, in collaboration with the Government of Armenia.
Emergency telecommunications: Africa
From 25 to 26 November, the ITU Regional Office for Africa delivered an Introduction to Geographic Information System (GIS) and open-source GIS training course for representatives from the Autorité de Régulation des Technologies de Communication and the Ministère du Développement Numérique, de la Transformation Digitale, des Postes et des Télécommunications. Through guided lectures and self-study tutorial sessions, the course covered GIS fundamentals and best practices for spatial data processing, in the context of the Disaster Connectivity Map and EW4All.
Emergency telecommunications: Arab States
From 16 to 19 November, the ITU Regional Office for the Arab States delivered Geographic Information Systems (GIS) training and technical assistance to Somalia on the Disaster Connectivity Map. This remote training, attended by participants from the National Communications Authority and Somtel, covered open-source GIS software and demonstrated how to combine population, network coverage and hazard data to support the Early Warning Connectivity Map tool.
Emergency telecommunications: Asia and the Pacific
From 25 to 28 November, the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific participated in the Ninth Session of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction at the United Nations Convention Centre in Thailand.
As part of the event, the Office co-organized an exhibit with EW4All pillar leads—the World Meteorological Organization, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies—showcasing joint efforts under the EW4All initiative. The exhibit highlighted ITU’s key contributions, including cell broadcast systems, the development of resilient ICT infrastructure, and the Smart Village–Smart Island initiative to support disaster risk reduction and early warning dissemination.
The event provided a platform for Member States to share commitments and report progress on multi-hazard early warning systems.
A side event—the third session of the Asia-Pacific EW4All Webinar Series on Science, Technology, and Innovation—was jointly organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and EW4All pillar leads. The webinar, moderated by the Regional Office, featured presentations from representatives of Japan, China, Thailand, and Indonesia. Presenters shared ways that they use technology and digitalisation—including AI and social media—to turn multi-hazard early warnings into early action.
Emergency telecommunications: Asia and the Pacific
The ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific participated in the 9th ABU Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Prevention, hosted by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation from 25 to 27 November in Colombo, Sri Lanka. During the session on Strengthening Media’s Role in Early Warnings and Emergency Communication, the Office highlighted the vital role of radio and media in enhancing the delivery of early warnings, improving preparedness, and ensuring that life-saving information reaches relevant in time for action.
Environment: Asia and the Pacific
As part of the Creating a Circular Economy for Electricals and Electronics in Thailand project, a business feasibility assessment workshop was held at Thailand Post from 12 to 13 November. The workshop explored practical arrangements for nationwide e-waste collection and examined the potential roles and benefits for Thailand Post. Discussions focused on Thailand’s e-waste challenges and the draft Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act along with business opportunities in an Extended Producer Responsibility landscape. The workshop served as a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration, helping align efforts toward a more sustainable and circular e-waste management system in Thailand.
Other: Asia and the Pacific
The ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific gave a presentation at the Cybersecurity Forum for Technology Development and International Cooperation in Wuzhen, People’s Republic of China. The presentation showcased key initiatives, including CyberDrills, assessments of Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT) maturity, and efforts to strengthen child online protection. The Office also introduced the Global Cybersecurity Index as a benchmark for regional progress, highlighting challenges faced by Pacific Island countries, such as limited resources, gaps in data protection legislation, and Child Online Protection implementation.
1 – 27 November
Capacity development: Asia and the Pacific
Under the EU-STREIT Programme, the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) conducted a five-day train-the-trainer workshop titled Management and Sustainability Business Planning of Resource Centres for school administrators and officers from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock and the Cocoa Board in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. The training helped the participants implement a sustainability business plan and management of resource centres. It also improved participants’ management and marketing skills, their use of the Moodle Learning Management System, e-commerce platforms, management information systems, government-to-citizen services, financial literacy and management, monitoring and evaluation, and data-collection techniques on impact assessment. Each school developed and presented sustainability business plans for their own resource centres.
Cybersecurity: Asia and the Pacific
The ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific joined the High-Level Panel on Diplomacy and Interoperability at the Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) on 23 October. The Office highlighted BDT’s ongoing work and mandate in cybersecurity. The Office also joined the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Southeast Asia Regional Meeting on the sidelines of SICW, providing an update on its work throughout Asia and the Pacific in cybersecurity and development.
Digital services and applications: Asia and the Pacific
Under the Smart Villages and Smart Islands initiative, BDT, in collaboration with Tonga’s Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, and the Tonga National University, conducted a series of digital literacy and skills training sessions in Vava’u, Tonga, from 20 to 21 October. The training sessions aimed to strengthen community resilience and promote inclusive digital transformation by equipping community members with practical digital skills, including the use of e-education platforms (Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams), online safety, e-finance, disaster management, and community alerts. Over 30 community members participated in the trainings, reflecting a continued commitment to advancing digital inclusion and empowerment in remote island communities.
Policy and regulation: Americas
From 29 to 30 October, the ITU Regional Office for the Americas held a face-to-face training workshop titled, ’Regulatory Innovation Mechanisms for Telecommunications and Digital Companies and ICT ecosystem’, under the framework of the BDT project Regulatory Innovation for Central America and Dominican Republic. Nearly 40 professionals, including government officials and private-sector regulatory officers, were certified by the ITU Academy. The initiative included participation from the Instituto Dominicano de Telecomunicaciones (INDOTEL) and the Oficina Gubernamental de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación (OGTIC), among other key actors.
[This activity is the result of a BDT project. You can find more details of the project here]
New Members: Europe
Turksat is a company from Türkiye operating an advanced fleet of communication satellites that provide coverage across Europe, Asia, and Africa. The company delivers comprehensive telecommunication and broadcasting services, including advanced broadband Internet solutions via satellite without the need for terrestrial infrastructure. It also offers secure and continuous data communication services for government, institutional, and private-sector clients. In addition, Turksat provides high-quality broadcasting and media transmission services, such as national and international news, sports events, and live television, through its Satellite News Gathering (SNG) network