Page 7 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY SAMENA TRENDS

In particular, they confronted chronic UNESCO's Assistant Director-General
connectivity challenges and discussed for Communication and Information,
how to ensure affordable, sustainable, representing UNESCO Director-General
and equitable access to digital services Audrey Azoulay, who serves as the
across regions, especially in the world's Commission's other Co-Vice Chair.
46 Least Developed countries, where 17% “Broadband Commissioners have a unique
of the population is still without a mobile awareness of this. We have a unique
broadband signal, and hundreds of millions capacity to lead change, through innovation,
more kept offline by high prices, lack of investment, advocacy and partnership."
digital skills and awareness, and a dearth
of usable, relevant and accessible content. This latest Commission meeting – the
first in-person meeting in two years –
Recognizing the role digital technologies provided clear synergies with WTDC, set
play in all facets of economic activity, to kick off with the theme of “Connecting
Commissioners shared government and the unconnected to achieve sustainable
business strategies that are incentivizing development". Broadband Advocacy Targets. Pledges
investment in digital literacy, connectivity, were also received by 16 Broadband
and skills. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of ITU's Commissioners and their entities.
Telecommunication Development Bureau
Commission Co-Vice Chair Houlin Zhao, ITU and the Commission's Executive Director, The meeting also highlighted the new Call
Secretary-General, noted that "One of the emphasized the urgent need for strong to Action: My Digital Future, presented by
challenges we need to overcome is reducing partnerships to step up connectivity. Generation Connect Visionaries Board
the cost of broadband subscriptions and members as an outcome of the first-ever
digital devices, especially in low- and lower- "In alignment with the Partner2Connect Generation Connect Youth Summit, calling
middle-income economies. Affordability Digital Coalition, the UN Secretary General's for inter-generational efforts to build an
of broadband services in developing Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and the equitable, inclusive digital future.
countries is also one of the Commission's 2030 Common Agenda, the Commission
2025 targets. I do hope that we can use this will leverage the strength of its membership A video, Broadband Transforming Lives,
moment to accelerate the achievement of and collective expertise to advocate for addressed Broadband Commission
these targets and break down these last meaningful, safe, secure, and sustainable Advocacy Target 4 on digital skills for
barriers to connectivity." broadband communications services," she youth and adults, highlighting the work of
said. young changemakers who are embracing
“Digital and media literacy skills are technology to make a positive impact
among the most empowering of human The Broadband Commission made an on their communities. These voices of
transformations: in terms of our livelihoods, advocacy pledge to the ITU Partner2Connect the younger generation, together with
in terms of our access to quality and Digital Coalition to help reach inclusive Commissioners' input, will be conveyed to
lifelong education, in terms of decisions universal connectivity, through policy the upcoming UN Transforming Education
guiding our health and safety, and in recommendations addressing broadband Summit 2022, which aims to shape the
terms of understanding and exercising policy, access, affordability, use and skills future of education and learning.
our civil rights," said Dr Tawfik Jelassi, and the advocacy actions to realize 2025
Commissioners also reported on the
Commission Co-Vice Chair Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary- progress of the Commission's four current
General, noted that: Working Groups: Virtual Health & Care;
Smartphone Access; Data for Learning; and
"One of the challenges we need to overcome is reducing AI Capacity Building.
the cost of broadband subscriptions and digital A preview of the forthcoming report of the

devices, especially in low- and lower-middle-income Working Group on The Future of Virtual
economies. Affordability of broadband services in Health and Care, co-chaired by Dr Ann Aerts,
Head of the Novartis Foundation, and the
developing countries is also one of the Commission's World Health Organization, emphasized the
2025 targets. I do hope that we can use this moment to need for sound stewardship of the global
explosion in virtual health triggered by the
accelerate the achievement of these targets and break COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure it drives
down these last barriers to connectivity." equitable health access and does not
exacerbate existing health inequities.

7 MAY-JUNE 2022