Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) 2021
Regulation for Digital Transformation: Accelerating Inclusive Connectivity, Access and Use
Heads of Regulators Executive Roundtable
Opening Remarks
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director
ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau
21 June 2021
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, and thank you for joining us for this Executive Roundtable of Heads of Regulators.
I'm delighted to see so many familiar faces, and excited about the programme we have ahead of us.
I hope you are all well and in good health. You have all had a very challenging year, trying to ensure that your regulatory frameworks were enablers, helping to maintain connectivity, and to extend it to those still lacking the digital resources we now all count on so much.
This is why the theme of this year's Best Practice Guidelines – “Regulatory uplift for financing digital infrastructure, access and use" – is so timely, and so essential.
The aim of our guidelines is to help countries optimize their regulatory strategies in order to drive faster and more inclusive connectivity.
I want to thank our very capable GSR-21 Chair and Acting Director General of the Communications Authority of Kenya, Mrs. Mercy Wanjau, for leading the coordination of our guidelines, and as always, we look forward to your endorsement and very active support in implementing them at the local and regional levels.
What comes through clearly in this year's guidelines is the importance of having fit-for-purpose regulatory approaches, and the inescapable need to intensify collaboration.
The pandemic has underscored the fact that broadband serves as an absolutely vital lifeline for people, and for businesses.
And that is true, regardless of whether we are talking about highly industrialized economies, emerging markets, or developing countries.
With connectivity now gaining more importance on the agendas of world leaders everywhere, this is our opportunity to build back better with broadband.
But as we have been seeing only too clearly in this crisis, it is not just about the infrastructure.
In many countries, lack of coverage is no longer the issue; instead, there are other gaps we need to address to deliver meaningful connectivity, in terms of affordability, accessibility, digital skills and digital literacy, the availability of relevant content in appropriate languages, and, of course, online trust and safety.
Addressing these gaps is no small challenge, and it's going to take all of us working together.
Collaborative regulation, and flexible and enabling policy frameworks will be the name of the game.
The role of fit-for-purpose regulatory approaches, and 5th Generation Collaborative Regulation, is clear.
Recalling the rich discussions across the regions in this year's GSR+ programme, regulators recognize that there is no single, comprehensive blueprint for best practice.
Instead, regulatory models for digital transformation need to be firmly anchored to local conditions, while at the same time keeping a weather eye on regional and global trends, priorities and challenges.
I firmly believe that to build back – or forward – better, the post-COVID digital world needs a new take on regulation. A reset, or a rethink.
Our focus needs to be on novel, bold and ground-breaking approaches and innovative new tools.
And you, regulators need to lead the way to carefully choreograph digital policy and legal instruments that drive digital transformation for all.
We need to think how we can harness data to target high-impact interventions and create space for regulators and industry to experiment together – think of regulatory sandboxes that enable us to try new ways and act quickly yet collaboratively, and build sound solutions that protect consumers while encouraging market growth and innovation.
Together we can ensure that those still unconnected can gain from the life-changing power and potential of the internet.
I look forward to hearing your innovative ideas here, and over the course of the action packed GSR week.
Thank you.
