Houlin Zhao, the secretary-general of the International Telecommunications Union, visited Iran’s pavilion and praised the country’s ICT development as impressive.
Iranian officials present at the event delivered a report on the latest ICT developments in Iran and detailed the negative impact of unilateral US sanctions on the country’s technological advancements, CITNA reported.
Zhao told Iranian participants that talks have been held between Iran’s ICT Ministry and ITU over expansion of collaborations. He expressed his commitment to helping Iranian entities expand their international operations, Financial Tribune reported.
Iran’s Communications Regulatory Authority and two private firms, namely Iranian Telecommunications Manufacturing Company and Iranian data analytics and cybersecurity firm Mohaymen, also attracted attention.
The expo named Mohaymen one of the leading SMEs in using innovative ICT solutions.
The next round of the event will be held in Vietnam.
Digital Transformation Initiative
On the sidelines of the event, and in partnership with Cisco, ITU launched the Digital Transformation Centers Initiative to equip people with the skills needed to effectively participate in today’s digital society and economy.
Through this initiative, launched on the sidelines of the exhibition, ITU and Cisco announced that they will work with a network of institutions to run digital skills training program in specific tech areas.
Providing digital skills training is key to bridging the digital divide. Digital skills are needed at all levels: at the basic level, to help people connect and benefit from Internet services and applications; at the intermediate level, to help students and job seekers acquire the necessary skills required by the digital economy; and at the advanced level, to increase the pool of ICT experts and meet the industry’s demands.
This initiative targets people who need basic digital skills to use digital tools and access e-services and those who seek to enhance their basic and intermediate skills.
It also targets entrepreneurs who wish to develop their businesses and assists policymakers in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs related to digital skills, with the overall objective of enabling a successful national digital transformation process.
“We are proud to partner with Cisco to enhance digital literacy,” says Zhao. “We call on governments, the private sector, development agencies, local communities and other stakeholders to help us advance this initiative. Join us to boost digital skills to facilitate the digital transformation journey and accelerate the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
The Digital Transformation Centers Initiative builds on the current collaboration between the two organizations.
To kickstart the initiative, ITU and Cisco will identify 10 Digital Transformation Centers to participate in the first phase, which will run for 18 months starting January 2020. The selected centers will be located in the Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions.
Crisis Connectivity Charter
ITU also signed the Crisis Connectivity Charter, joining forces with a global network working to strengthen telecommunications services for humanitarian responders, ensuring seamless collaboration in emergencies and enabling faster disaster responses.
"ITU is very proud to be a part of this significant new milestone in bringing ICTs to the aid of people in need,” said Zhao.
“This Crisis Connectivity Charter is an example of what the UN family, the industry and other stakeholders can do when they come together to tackle one of today’s most pressing issues.”
The Crisis Connectivity Charter sets out a process to accelerate access to satellite-based communications when local networks are affected after a disaster. It supports the United Nations World Food Program-led Emergency Telecommunications Cluster in implementing its activities to support humanitarian responders and enable them to save lives.
The ITU maintains crucial relationships with information and communications technology ministries and telecommunications regulators globally. In times of crisis, strong coordination with government agencies is essential; the charter will benefit from the ITU’s strategic connections.