Study Group 1

​Plenary - Closing remarks

Friday 21 February 2020

Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau

Ms Regina Fleur Assoumou-Bessou

Vice-Chairs of Study Group 1

Delegates

​Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me begin by expressing my thanks to you all for your hard work during this week.

I hear that it has been a very intense week where much progress has been made. I have been following with interest your discussions and exchanges of ideas on some of the very timely topics - rural communications, OTTs, cost modelling, accessibility, and also on the working methods that accompany the work that you are undertaking.

I have heard reflections from several of you concerning the discussion on innovative financing mechanisms for inclusive digital connectivity that was held on Monday. This is the first time we have organized a discussion on this topic within the study groups and I am pleased about the positive response! Innovative approaches to financing are critical to connect the remaining unconnected. It may be interesting for you to know that the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development has just launched a new working group on 2nd century financing models for sustainable broadband development.

Moreover, I am delighted to share with you that, at this third Study Group 1 meeting, we have had 132 participants, of which more than 90 participants from Member States and close to 40 from Sector Members, Associates and Academia. This number includes 30 people, who have participated remotely. [Participants from 49 countries (MS, SM, Associates and Academia) have been here this week.] This is really very encouraging. 46 (or 34.6 percent) of the participants are women, which shows that we can do better in encouraging women in our organizations to participate in person and remotely in these meetings in the future.

During this third meeting for the study cycle, our goals were to address critical issues within each of the seven study Questions, to begin to make substantial progress on the expected deliverables, and to approve annual deliverables.

So I was very pleased indeed to hear that, following presentations and discussions this week, we now have three approved annual deliverables from four Study Group 1 Questions. This is really great progress, and I turn to you Madame Chair, to congratulate you and the team, all those active collaborators who have worked so hard to make this possible, on this great achievement!

I emphasized in my opening remarks on Monday, the value of the rich information that you share in your case studies to the study groups that we can now feed into our projects, regional initiatives and reports, handbooks and studies. I encourage you to keep sharing these and to make sure that the findings from all over the world serve to inform the guidelines that you will be presenting to the final meetings next year.

I have also understood that you have started elaborating future topics of study; how this relates to the current study topics and also what other possible topics would be essential for detailed study. I am very pleased that we can already discuss such matters now so that we can feed your findings and suggestions into the preparatory process for the 2021 World Telecommunication Development Conference.

Indeed, the preparations for WTDC-21, which we are delighted will be hosted by the Government of Ethiopia, has started. I look forward to continuing to exchange with all of you on we can ensure that WTDC is a development conference that meets the needs of the members, offers guidance for impact and sets strategies and objectives for the development of telecommunication/ICTs that address the digital era in which we live.

I am committed to working in partnership with you to make the Development Bureau more efficient, more modern and more innovative in all areas of our work, so that we can respond better to the needs of our members. So, please, keep your suggestions coming on how we can do this together.

With this, I would like to thank you, Madam Chair, for leading the meetings this week.

I would also like to thank my staff, the study group team and BDT focal points, for their hard work, the translators, interpreters, technicians, assistants and all those who have worked behind the scenes to ensure the success of this meeting.

I wish you safe travels back home.

Thank you.​