Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and esteemed colleagues.
The global economy is changing, and so is the digital landscape at a very high speed.
Looking back at 2014 when the Vienna Programme of Action was adopted, …the digital outlook is no longer the same.
Digitalisation has become central to how goods move, services are delivered, and how growth is generated.
The changing digital landscape brings with it new possibilities for landlocked developing countries.
Recently, we published our Facts and Figures report with a focus on Landlocked Developing Countries. Internet use in LLDCs has more than doubled over the past decade. The uptake has been increasing at an annual rate of 11 per cent since 2014, significantly outpacing the global rate of 7 per cent.
Emerging technologies are no longer abstract tools they offer LLDCs ways to lower the costs of trade, transport and communication to expand services, diversify economies, and increase participation in global markets.
But the foundation for new and emerging tech remains uneven. Research shows that only one in four LLDCs have a tech-neutral regulatory framework, only 12 have an operational national broadband plan. Many also impose sector-specific taxes that discourage digital investment.
These constraints affect deployment of new technologies, limit innovation and make it harder to scale new solutions.
But these divides are not permanent.
With the right frameworks LLDCs can close these gaps quickly.
AI for example, is redefining how we approach these challenges.
It is being harnessed to map and plan infrastructure guide investment and strengthen services from healthcare, to education, to early warnings, among other areas.
Real use cases are emerging.
AI tools are being used to optimise tower and fibre placement, manage spectrum dynamically and design energy-efficient networks for low-power settings.
Through targeted pilots and toolkits, ITU is helping governments apply these tools to national priorities.
With AI innovation growing in speed and scale, ITU is working with partners to reinforce global commitment so as to shape AI governance, build skills, and also develop relevant standards.
But technology alone is not enough.
It has to be accompanied by stronger capacity among policy makers, regulators, as well as entrepreneurs, and even public institutions.
Investing in digital public infrastructure – DPI, whether for identity, payments, registries, or interoperable platforms, it paves way for inclusive digital economies.
DPIs help SMEs scale and reach new markets create jobs for under-represented groups, especially where trade corridors are limited.
This is how innovation ecosystems take root.
ITU’s Govstack initiative supports countries and organizations with building cost-effective and efficient digital public services, using reusable building blocks that are easy to scale. This enables citizens to seamlessly access health records, manage identity documents, make digital payments, and utilise other government services.
Partnerships, whether South-South and triangular cooperation, cross sectoral collaboration, PPPs, are valuable as financing pathways and a means to exchange knowledge necessary to build innovation ecosystems.
Through the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development, ITU is helping create acceleration centres to enhance innovation capabilities at national, regional and global level.
Our Open-Source Ecosystem Enabler project, on the other hand,
is helping countries adopt open source technologies to boost deliver of digital government services.
As I conclude, let me add that we believe LLDCs are not just users of innovation.
They are contributors to the solutions we need for a more inclusive and resilient digital future.
The potential is real, and with joint efforts, we can help deliver real impact for the lives of those in LLDCs.
Thank you.
