Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have signed a joint declaration, solidifying their commitment to drive digital development and inclusive growth across Thailand and the Asia Pacific region. This collaboration focuses on six key areas, including co-building open dialogue platforms in ICT policy and regulation, joint research, inclusive infrastructure, digital capacity-building, girls and youth empowerment, and digital practice-sharing. Dr Zavazava, ITU's Director, commended Huawei for its crucial support in global digital transformation. They plan to deepen their collaboration to advance ITU's 'Connect 2030' vision for a better-connected world.

In addition, Huawei and ITU are committed to bridging the digital divide, especially among women, girls, youth, and vulnerable populations. They promote STEM education through initiatives like "Walk into ICT Industry" and "Girls in ICT." This partnership aims to enable a digital Thailand and Asia Pacific. During a side event, various stakeholders discussed digitalization and rural connectivity, with Huawei sharing its experiences in rural areas. Both organisations stress the importance of collaboration in government policies, broadband access, affordability, digital skills, and services for digital inclusion. ITU plans to organise a student team to explore digital innovations with Huawei and work on policies and digital infrastructure for the Asia Pacific digital economy.

What is ITU's 'Connect 2030' agenda?

Connect 2030 represents a global plan for advancing telecommunications and information and communication technologies (ICTs) with a primary emphasis on how these technological advancements will play a pivotal role in expediting progress towards sustainable economic, social, and environmental development. This comprehensive agenda is centred around five key strategic objectives, namely, fostering growth, promoting inclusivity, ensuring sustainability, driving innovation, and nurturing partnerships.