On December 14-15, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regional Development Forum for the CIS Region was held online. Experts from the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ took part in the forum.
The forum was dedicated to the implementation of the International Telecommunication Union’s CIS regional initiatives, setting priorities in the field of digital technology development until 2025, and creating conditions for the successful holding of the World Telecommunication Development Conference in 2021.
During the official opening of the forum, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, noted that, unfortunately, not all countries had managed to switch to online work or study during the pandemic. “COVID-19 has taught us that broadband is not an optional luxury, but a necessity,” the speaker said.
At the session on the implementation of regional initiatives for the CIS region, approved at the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2017, Natalia Mochu, Regional Director of the ITU Regional Office for the CIS Region, presented the regional initiatives of this conference and the results of their implementation in 2020. Other participants in the session shared their practical experience in this area and also discussed projects implemented jointly with ITU, technical assistance and the thematic events held in 2018-2020.
As part of the session on the digital development priorities in the CIS countries, ITU experts reviewed the main results and future plans for the ITU-D Study Groups in cybersecurity, ICT infrastructure development and others. All speakers noted the need not only to use new innovations but also to create them.
At the final session of the forum, the members of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau gave a detailed account of the preparations for the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2021. The key outcome of the session was the speeches by representatives of the ITU member states. In particular, representatives from the Russian Federation noted that the country’s main priorities are to ensure high-quality access to the internet, ensure the digital literacy of the population, and to personalize education.
Experts from the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ took part in the forum. The center’s Chief Analyst Maria Kolesnikova noted that cooperation within the CIS regional initiatives, which are actively supported by the ITU, contributes to increasing the availability of ICT services for a larger number of users and accelerates digital transformation in education and the development of innovations and digital public services. “We hope that next year the Coordination Center and the ITU Regional Office will continue active interaction, which will expand the range of regional initiatives and joint projects,” she added.
