Message on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

This year’s World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) comes at a time of great progress and persisting challenges in the telecommunications and information space across the globe, particularly among Least Developed Countries (LDCs), including the Kingdom of Eswatini. 

At the midway point of the 2030 Agenda, digital transformation and connectivity are critical to rescuing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have expanded in leaps and bounds, and while we are on the verge of the age of the grey space of Artificial Intelligence for some, for others, basic connectivit remains a dream. We must remember our commitment to #leave no one behind.

This year’s World Telecommunication and Information Society theme on “Empowering the least developed countries through information and communication technologies,” could not have come at a better time. 

We welcome the ambitious new programme of action to deliver on sustainable development for all by 2030 that came out of the Fifth Conference on LDCs in March this year and graced by His Majesty King Mswati III.

In his Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, the UN Secretary-General has emphasized that it is essential to seize the opportunities of digital technology while protecting against its risks.

The reality is that 2.9 billion across the globe still lack online access and one third are in LDCs. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has a vital role to play in accelerating global connectivity for all by 2030.

As we commemorate this Day, I urge all of us to help close the digital gap for an equitable and sustainable future. For People. For Planet.

George Wachira,

UN Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom of Eswatini