BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 17. The opening ceremony of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-25) was held at the Baku Convention Center in Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
The conference, co-organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Azerbaijani Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, is dedicated to the theme “Universal, Meaningful, and Affordable Connectivity for an Inclusive and Sustainable Digital Future.”
Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijani Minister of Digital Development and Transport, read out President Ilham Aliyev's address to the conference participants.
The event was then addressed by ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin and Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava.
Addressing the event, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), noted that the task in Baku is to strengthen digital resilience through discussions and resolutions.
The Secretary-General emphasized that communication today is and will remain the cornerstone of individual and collective sustainability for humanity.
She said that access to the Internet can mean a chance for a child to get an education, an opportunity for a new business to provide essential services using mobile technologies, access to vital medical information for a future mother, and an opportunity for young people to acquire the skills necessary for a decent income.
“Here in Baku, our task is to help meet these needs and strengthen sustainability through our policy discussions and resolutions,” she said.
According to Bogdan-Martin, WTDC-25 aims to make digital opportunities meaningful and accessible to all, create conditions that leave no one behind in a rapidly changing technological world, and breathe new life into the global digital development agenda.
She paid particular attention to the Partner2Connect initiative, noting that it is within this coalition that the power of collective progress is most evident. The initiative has mobilized more than a thousand commitments and approximately $80 billion aimed at ensuring meaningful connectivity and sustainable digital transformation.
Meanwhile, Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), said that the Baku Declaration on Global Digital Development will be prepared.
He emphasized that the digital revolution has had a strong impact on society and the economy: “Significant progress has been made in recent years in the field of communications. The number of people not connected to the Internet, which stood at 2.7 billion in 2022, has now fallen to 2.2 billion. However, the digital divide has not been completely eliminated and has already taken on a new and complex character.”
The Director of the Bureau noted that while some countries are developing technologies such as artificial intelligence and 6G, others are still struggling to connect to the Internet, even in its most basic form. Therefore, the main goal of the conference is to prepare the Baku Declaration. The declaration is conceived as a strategic roadmap for global digital development.
A special video chronicling the history and development of telecommunications in Azerbaijan was presented to the participants of the conference.
The World Telecommunication Development Conference is a high-level platform for Member States to develop priorities and strategies for ITU-D, held every four years between Plenipotentiary Conferences.
The WTDC is held by ITU every four years in order to bridge the digital divide between countries and promote digital transformation.
Azerbaijan is hosting the first WTDC in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region, which is expected to strengthen its role in technology and digitalization and boost its international reputation. The event is scheduled to continue until November 28.
The World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) is a global platform dedicated to advancing digital connectivity, fostering innovation, and shaping policies for a more inclusive digital future. Bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology experts, the WTDC catalyzes collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and strategic decision-making in the telecommunications sector.
