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ITU Liaison Office to the United Nations

The ITU’s Liaison Office to the United Nations is located nearby UN Headquarters in New York, USA. The Liaison Office supports the ITU’s mission and strategic objectives by:

Coordinating ITU relations with the UN System and advocating for ITU priorities to be reflected in the UN’s work and outputs
Responding to requests from UN entities and others for ITU inputs and information
Representing the ITU in relevant UN events, meetings, processes, networks, inter-agency coordination mechanisms and reports on ICT issues and disseminates information
Raising awareness of the core functions of ITU and its work among the UN and diplomatic communities
Raising awareness within the ITU of the UN multilateral agenda and global processes, such as relating to Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals
Building and strengthening ITU relationships within the UN community
Coordinating and supporting ITU delegations to UN meetings and functions

To raise awareness of ITU’s work products and relevant themes, the Liaison Office hosts or co-hosts a number of sessions or side events at the UN in New York throughout the year and frequently speaks at other events both inside and outside the UN.

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Liaison Office Events

The ITU Liaison Office to the UN hosts or co-hosts a number of sessions and side events at UN Headquarters in New York during the year, especially during major UN conferences and to highlight the ICT dimension of the themes around UN observances. See our twitter feed @ITUatUNHQ for upcoming events. If you are interested in collaborating with us on sessions or side events or in being on our mailing list to receive an invitation to our upcoming sessions, please contact us.

Collaboration with the UN System

One of the main responsibilities of the ITU Liaison Office to the UN is interfacing with UN entities in order to aid the ITU in carrying out its mission and in support of SDG 17 on partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals. The report presents an overview of ITU’s activities and relationships with the UN system during 2021.

UN Events and Observances

The United Nations observes designated days, weeks and years that align with a specific theme or topic. By creating special observances, the United Nations promotes international awareness and action on these issues. UN meetings and events and UN observances, including those relevant to the ITU’s mission can be found at the links posted below.

Relevant Resolutions

Access to and effective use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for sustainable development is key to the ITU’s commitment to connect all the world’s people - wherever they live and whatever their means. The United Nations General Assembly adopts an annual resolution that recognizes the importance of ICTs for sustainable development. These resolutions can be found here.

Talking Tech: Girls and Women in ICT

Talking Tech is a series of intergenerational discussions between girls and women in technology. As a contribution by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to the EQUALS Global Partnership for Gender Digital Equality, the series offers diverse examples of how women are driving change in ICTs and inspiring the next generation of women in tech.

Girls and Women Talking Tech

TechLearnTalks

TechLearnTalks aim to demystify a range of new technologies, such as blockchain, the Internet of Things and cloud-computing. The monthly talks with the UN Innovation Network introduce technologies to a non-technical audience within the UN and show how such technologies are already being applied by UN Entities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

ITU’s contribution to Our Common Agenda

ITU is contributing to the Member States and inter-agency efforts to follow up on the UN Secretary-General's Report on “Our Common Agenda", which was presented to the 76th UN General Assembly in September 2021. In response to the Declaration of the UN75th Anniversary (A/RES/75/1), this report includes the UN Secretary-General's proposals for, among other things, a call for a Global Digital Compact and a Summit of the Future with a possible digital track, as well as many other proposals with a digital dimension including on transforming education, outer space, and UN2.0.

According to the UNGA Resolution on Modalities for the Summit of the Future (A/RES/76/307), the Summit is scheduled to take place in September 2024, preceded by a Ministerial Meeting on 21 September 2023. The Summit will adopt an outcome document called 'A Pact for the Future', which will be agreed upon in advance by consensus through an intergovernmental process, facilitated by the co-facilitators of Germany and Namibia.

The Global Digital Compact is a significant proposal aimed at addressing digital issues and establishing shared principles for an open, free, and secure digital future for all. ITU is actively sharing its commitments for achieving universal and meaningful connectivity and leveraging ICTs to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, through various consultations and channels related to the Global Digital Compact, as such as convening consultations, online submissions, statements, and other communications. See ITU's inputs here.