Agenda

Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava took office as Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023. 
With 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. 
Prior 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. 

Ms. Rabab Fatima was appointed as the Under Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in August 2022 by the United Nations Secretary-General.

As the High Representative, Ms. Rabab Fatima is responsible to support the LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and their respective programmes of action adopted by global consensus. Together, these groups of countries constitute the 92 most vulnerable countries in the world. 

Ms. Fatima has more than thirty years of experience in national and international civil service, encompassing bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, policymaking, advocacy, programme planning and implementation.

Prior to her appointment, she was the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York. In that role, she co-chaired the preparatory committee meetings of the Fifth United Nations Conference on the LDC (2021). She also served as the President of the Executive Boards of UNICEF (2020) and UN-Women (2022) as well as Vice-President of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board. She was the first women to be elected as the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission in 2022. She also led other inter-governmental processes, including the facilitation of the progress declaration of the first International Migration Review Forum.

As a career diplomat of Bangladesh, Ms. Fatima was the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Japan (2016-2019). She served as Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangladesh (2015-2016), Regional Representative for South Asia (2007-2011) and Regional Adviser for South and South-West Asia and Regional Adviser for Climate Change and Migration (2012-2015) of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Geneva, and was Head of Human Rights at the Commonwealth Secretariat, London (2006-2007).

The Secretary-General of the United Nations appointed her as the Secretary-General of the Third United Nations Conference of the LLDCs (LLDC3) and the Special Adviser of the Fourth United Nations Conference of the SIDS (SIDS4). In both those capacities, she will lead and support the preparations and successful holding of these two important conferences to be held in 2024. She also serves as the Secretary-General’s representative on the Council of the United Nations Technology Bank for the LDCs. 

Mr. Mirzo Khurshed is the Director of the Agency of Innovation and Digital Technologies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan. He leads national efforts to accelerate digital transformation, foster innovation, and strengthen the country's digital economy. Under his leadership, the Agency promotes the adoption of advanced digital technologies, supports innovation ecosystems, and enhances digital public services while expanding international cooperation in ICT and digital development.

H.E. Ms. Tatenda Annastacia Mavetera serves as Zimbabwe's Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services. She is spearheading initiatives to expand digital connectivity, strengthen ICT infrastructure, promote digital inclusion, and support innovation and entrepreneurship. Her work focuses on leveraging technology to drive socio-economic development and improve access to digital services across Zimbabwe.

Honourable Emma Inamutila Theofelus serves as a Member of Parliament and the Minister of Information and Communication Technology with the Republic of Namibia. Before her appointment, Honourable Ms. Theofelus was a youth activist around the issues of gender, children’s rights, sustainable development and youth unemployment. She served as the Deputy Speaker of the Youth Parliament of the Republic of Namibia, Board Member of the National Council of Higher Education and the Junior Mayor of the City of Windhoek. Born in Windhoek, Namibia, she holds an LLB Honours Degree from the University of Namibia where she served as Secretary General of the Student Union in her final year of study, a diploma in Business Management from Amity University and a diploma in African Feminism and Gender Studies from the University of South Africa. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in ICT Policy and Regulation at the University of Witwatersrand. She was awarded the Laureate in the Individual Category of the United Nations Population Award, 2022 and serves as a Board Member of the Leadership Council of Africa REACH. She has been recognized as one of the BBC 100 Most Influential Women in the World 2021, named as one of Avance Media 100 Most Influential Young Africans in 2020 and 2021, and featured by the New African as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2020. Moreover, she was recognized by the Reputation Poll as one of the 100 Most Reputable Africans 2020 and was named as the Emerging African Young Leader by the African Leadership Magazine 2022. She is also a Council Member of Nala Feminist Collective where she is championing digital justice on the African continent. Furthermore, she was nominated for the One Young World Politician of the Year Award in 2020 and 2021. In her current role, she plans to better communicate the activities and programs of the Government of the Republic of Namibia, create a more digitally literate nation, increase access to the internet among Namibians and assist in preparing the Namibian nation for the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Ambassador Deike Potzel is a career diplomat with the German Ministry for Foreign Affairs 
(MFA). Prior to her appointment as Head of the European Union Delegation to the United 
Nations in Geneva, she held senior positions within the German MFA, including Special 
Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues, Director-General for Crisis Prevention, 
Stabilisation, Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Assistance, Inspector General, and Deputy 
Director-General for Human Resources.
From 2017 to 2021, she represented Germany as Ambassador to Ireland. Earlier in her career, 
she held diplomatic postings at the German embassies in Iran and Singapore, and worked on 
topics including EU Enlargement, Iran, and the Gulf countries

Mr. Sangbu Kim is the Vice President for Digital & AI at the World Bank, where he leads the institution's global work on digital transformation and artificial intelligence. He oversees efforts to help countries build inclusive digital economies, expand digital infrastructure, strengthen digital public services, and harness emerging technologies to accelerate sustainable development and economic growth.

Ms. Lele Modise is the Group Chief Legal and Regulatory Affairs Officer at MTN Group Limited, one of Africa's leading telecommunications companies. She plays a key role in advancing enabling regulatory environments that foster digital inclusion, investment, innovation, and sustainable connectivity throughout Africa.

Ahmed Riad Ismail is Vice President of Global Standardization at Huawei Technologies, based in Geneva. He leads Huawei's engagement across the international standards ecosystem, including ITU, and others, coordinating standardization strategy across the company's wireless, data communication, optical and AI product lines, among others. He brings over 18 years of experience in the telecommunications sector, with previous roles at the International Telecommunication Union, Nokia and Ericsson. His work focuses on technology governance, security and digital trust standards, spectrum policy, and the role of digital infrastructure in inclusive development. Ahmed holds an Executive MBA from IMD Business School, awarded with Highest Honors, and an MSc from University College London.

Ambassador Raúl Cano Ricciardi serves as the Permanent Representative of Paraguay to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, including the World Trade Organization. With over 33 years of diplomatic service, he has held senior positions such as Vice Minister of Economic Relations and Integration and has played a leading role in representing Paraguay in MERCOSUR and ALADI. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Catholic University of Asunción and an MBA in International Finance from the University of Ottawa. Ambassador Cano Ricciardi is also an Associate Professor at Paraguay’s Diplomatic Academy, where he has lectured on trade negotiations and international economics. Fluent in English, Portuguese and Guaraní, he is recognized for his expertise in trade and economic diplomacy.

Graduated from Middle East Technical University, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 1993. She received master degree in Information Technology Law at Hacettepe University Faculty of Law and had training on communication at Cable and Wireless College in England and the University of Colorado in the United States. In 2004, he completed the MBA Powerpack-ShortTerm MBA for Executives Program at Global Resources, USA. She started her career in 1993 at the General Directorate of Turkish Post (PTT). Between 1994 and 2000, she worked as an engineer and chief engineer in the Cable Systems Group Chief Engineering at Türk Telekomünikasyon A.Ş. and took part in the management and technical committees of large-scale international submarine fiber optic projects. In 2000, she took part in the establishment phase of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority-BTK (formerly the Telecommunication Authority) and the first regulatory studies in electronic communications sector on authorization, numbering, number portability, concession agreements. She participated in OECD Regulatory Reform Türkiye project and received certificate of appreciation from Prime Ministry for outstanding work carried out. Her expert thesis is on numbering and number portability and she leaded number portability implementation in Türkiye. Regulation and implementation of mobile number portability in Türkiye is considered as best practice in Europe. She participated numerous conferences and meetings as the head of the delegation and panelist. Chaired relevant works for harmonization EU Acquis in national accession program as EU Candidate Country. She leaded drafting various regulations in ICT sector and implementing rules and procedures. Between 2010 and 2014, she served as a rapporteur in the International Telecommunication Union Telecommunications Development Sector (ITU-D). In 2016, she was elected as the Vice Chair of the ITU Telecommunication Standardisation Sector (ITU-T) Study Group at the World Telecommunication Standardization General Assembly (WTSA-16).

Ms. Mukwashi is a respected global leader with more than 30 years of experience across international development and humanitarian sectors. She has dedicated her career to advancing poverty reduction, equality, and social justice, serving at the highest levels of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. Most recently, she served as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Lesotho, where she led interagency collaboration in support of national development priorities. Within the Organization, she has held senior roles with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Germany, including Chief of Volunteer Knowledge and Innovation and Chief of Advisory Services, and earlier worked with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Zambia on gender, population and development.  

Beyond the United Nations, she was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Christian Aid, becoming the first African woman to lead the organization globally. She oversaw humanitarian and development operations in more than 30 countries while strengthening advocacy and institutional reforms. She has also held leadership positions with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO International) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).