Speech by ITU Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao
ITU Council 2022: State of the Union Address
21 March 2022, Geneva, Switzerland
Mr. Chair, Ministers,
Ambassadors, Councillors, my fellow Elected Officials,
Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Welcome to ITU! And welcome to the 2022 Session of ITU Council! It has now been two and a half long years since this Council last met in person. It's good to be able to meet in person again!
We just held a successful World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly here in Geneva from 1 to 9 March—following our sixth World Telecommunication/ICT Policy Forum, hosted online from 16 to 18 December 2021. We can be pleased with these results achieved amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our world, however, is now also concerned with what's happening in Ukraine. This moment calls for global cooperation. On the opening day of WTSA, I called for us to be united in doing our best to stop the war. Unfortunately, the war has not come to an end yet. I am saddened by the loss of civilian life and suffering, including from our own community of telecom experts and engineers. I echo the call of the UN Secretary-General and my UN counterparts for an immediate peaceful resolution. I'm also concerned by the mounting damage being caused to the telecommunication infrastructure. It's a vital lifeline for people and economies everywhere. Let us promote ICTs for peace!
Let me now turn to the state of our Union, starting with our Strategic and Financial Plans. I am pleased to present this Council with a balanced, realistic draft Financial Plan for 2024-2027. For your information, we started with a shortfall of 65 million at the beginning and presented a deficit of 25 million to the Council Working Group in January. Urgent actions and operations have to be put into UMAC. While we are implementing efficiency measures across all sectors and departments, I call your attention to the fact that assessed contributions represent more than 76 per cent of our revenue. As Secretary-General, it's my firm intention to maintain a solid financial base by keeping the amount of the contributory unit at its current level of 318,000 Swiss francs—something that hasn't changed since 2006, though I would appreciate it if you could do more, as we need more support. We count and rely on your financial support!
On the Strategic Plan, we have identified two clear goals—universal connectivity, and sustainable digital transformation. We are considering this document at a time when 2.9 billion people are still unconnected around the world, most of them living in developing countries. The pandemic has shown that equitable access to digital technologies isn't just a moral responsibility. It's also about recovery, growth and sustainability. None of this will be possible if the ability to connect is as profoundly unequal as it is now.
All views and comments from our membership are reflected in our draft Strategic and Financial Plans for 2024-2027. It's my hope we can end this Council with an agreed text to be submitted to our upcoming Plenipotentiary Conference.
There have been and will be more important events in the lead-up to PP-22 and beyond. I will briefly touch on them. But before I do, let me update you on our efforts to promote transparency and ethical conduct. We have set up a tool for our new ITU Accountability Framework. It's based on the recommendations from JIU, IMAC and the external auditors. I thank all of them for their continued support. A new Head of Investigations joined ITU in February 2022, reinforcing our investigation function. A new policy on harassment was promulgated in January 2022—including sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. The Ethics Office has a dedicated helpline for reporting, and we will be organizing ethics trainings throughout the year to encourage a “Speak Up" culture.
2022 is an important year regarding the plan for ITU's new headquarters. We are preparing for the dismantling of the Varembé building to clear the site for our new building. Archiving and decluttering activities have already begun. We are identifying the work modalities appropriate for each function—and what we've learned about teleworking will be key to successfully managing the transition phase. Soon, the Radiocommunication Bureau will play a pilot role in testing the new measures of the plan. We count on everyone's support! In addition, we have been discussing with some Member States interested in hosting our meetings during this period and I encourage others to come forward.
On strengthening our regional presence, we will open a new ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre in New Delhi by the middle of the year. I want to thank the Government of India. This office will foster digital technology uptake in line with sustainable development across South Asia. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Viet Nam for hosting ITU Digital World 2021. We celebrated the 50th anniversary of ITU Telecom events—a platform that has promoted ICT innovation and given SMEs a voice in the global debate. I hope these events and this effort will continue in the future.
The WTPF-21, held between 16-18 December 2021, adopted a set of Opinions in areas ranging from inclusive connectivity to digital skills to fostering an effective enabling environment. The Forum sent a powerful message—one that aligns ICTs and emerging digital technologies with global priorities for sustainable development. It also showed how successful we can be in preparing for and holding virtual and hybrid meetings.
With a strong remote participation and around 1,000 delegates from 120 countries physically present in Geneva in early March, WTSA and the Global Standards Symposium were very successful events! I hope we can use them to think about how we can better provide for all administrations to have equitable opportunities for participation going forward. We will have a report on WTSA during Council. I just want to say that this conference has underlined the fundamental importance of international cooperation—and the need to accelerate digital transformation for all.
The WSIS Forum 2022 has started, bringing together public and private stakeholders to advance ICT development. During the week of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, the Forum will organize Ministerial roundtable sessions to address the challenges and calls for action. On 17 May, we will celebrate WTISD 2022 under the theme of “Digital technologies for Older Persons and Healthy Ageing".
The World Telecommunication Development Conference will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 6 to 16 June 2022. Hosting this event on the African continent is more important and more timely than ever. I want to thank the Government of Rwanda for hosting this event at these difficult times. WTDC offers an opportunity to re-energize the global development agenda and accelerate progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We also look forward to the Generation Connect Global Youth Summit set to be held just ahead of the main conference.
Finally, let me thank the Government of Romania for welcoming the ITU family to Bucharest from 26 September to 14 October for PP-22. Preparations are well underway, and I have full confidence in Romania and the Chair-designate, Mr. Sabin Sărmaș. The first inter-regional preparatory meeting will take place in one week, on 28 March.
I will conclude by thanking you all for the resolve, dedication and commitment you have shown over the last two years. Despite conducting our business virtually, we have ensured business continuity and delivered on all our core competencies. When the pandemic hit, we had to act quickly and efficiently—on the budget, the Strategic Plan, our conferences, and all the most pressing issues facing our Union. Thank you for your support and availability in arranging for the Virtual Consultations of Councillors. It wasn't always easy, but we forged ahead together. That's what it means to be part of the ITU family, and it's never been more important.
We have learned some important lessons in the process. They will be invaluable as we navigate one of the busiest and most important years in ITU's recent memory.
To our Member States and all our Members, thank for your continued support and confidence in ITU. To our regional organizations and all our other partners, thank you for your valuable cooperation. And to the ITU staff, thank you for your tireless contributions to the Union.
I commend the Chair of this Council, Mr. Saif Bin Ghelaita of the United Arab Emirates, for the leadership he has shown since the beginning of the pandemic.
This session of ITU Council is an opportunity for us to make a difference—for our Union, and for the world. Let's seize it! Let's build on the lessons learned! Let us align our work, resources and priorities with the opportunities and challenges presented by today's digital transformation—and make sure that we continue to meet the needs and expectations of our members and the people we serve.
I wish you a very successful session!
Thank you.
