Page 8 - SAMENA Trends - August-September 2025

SAMENA COUNCIL ADVOCACY SAMENA TRENDS

GSR-25: Driving Global Digital Transformation through Inclusive Regulation,
Industry Innovation, and Collaborative Governance

The Global Symposium for Regulators driven digital ecosystems. These guidelines GSR-25 featured discus-
(GSR) 2025, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aim to support the delivery of essential
marked the 25th anniversary of the national services such as healthcare, sions on some of the most
International Telecommunication Union’s education, and finance while also fostering pressing regulatory chal-
flagship regulatory event. Over the course innovation, strengthening institutional
of three days, GSR-25 brought together capacity, and enhancing international lenges facing the global
more than 1,200 participants, including cooperation. As digital technologies evolve digital community. These
ministers, heads of regulatory authorities, rapidly, the guidelines emphasize the need
industry leaders, and digital policy experts for agile regulation that adapts to change included governance
from around the world. The Symposium while promoting long-term development frameworks for Artificial
served as a pivotal platform to chart the and social inclusion.
future of regulation in an increasingly Intelligence, the emerging
interconnected and complex digital era. ITU Secretary-General HE Ms. Doreen opportunities of the space
At the heart of the event was the Bogdan-Martin reflected on the journey
endorsement of the GSR-25 Best Practice of the Symposium over the past quarter- economy, and the need to
Guidelines, which outline practical tools century, noting that GSR has spent 25 years ensure that digital trans-
and frameworks to help regulators build lighting the path from dial-up connectivity
inclusive, sustainable, and innovation- to fully digital societies. She underscored formation remains sus-
the importance of regulators in bridging
At the heart of the event the divide that still leaves 2.6 billion tainable and inclusive.
was the endorsement of people unconnected, describing them as remains sustainable and inclusive. The role
of regulators in navigating these evolving
the GSR-25 Best Practice the bridge to a future where everyone can dynamics was seen as more critical than
thrive online.
Guidelines, which outline ever.
practical tools and frame- In addition to endorsing the guidelines, HE Eng. Haitham AlOhali, Governor
GSR-25 featured discussions on some of
works to help regulators the most pressing regulatory challenges of the Communications, Space and
Technology Commission of Saudi Arabia
build inclusive, sustain- facing the global digital community. and Chair of GSR-25, emphasized the
These included governance frameworks
able, and innovation-driven for Artificial Intelligence, the emerging collective responsibility of regulators to
reimagine regulation for the digital age. He
digital ecosystems. opportunities of the space economy, and the highlighted the importance of collaboration
need to ensure that digital transformation

8 AUG-SEP 2025