New Year Message:
Tremendous Progress Together,but Much Left to Do
Ms Doreen Bogdan-Martin
Secretary-General
International Telecommunication Union

Let me beg in by w ish ing a l l members of t he I T U
Association of Japan a ver y happy and prosperous
New Year.

Recent times have certainly been challenging for many of us.
Geopolitical tensions are at their highest in decades, economic
and job concerns are rising, the impact of the global pandemic
continues, and food security looks precarious for much of the world.
Environmental and climate concerns can no longer be ignored.
The growing combination of threats and uncertainties has
only increased the urgency of our work to connect the world.
The crucial need for connectivity has brought more people
online more quickly. At the same time, it has focused the mindsof leaders on the need to bridge digital divides, which today keep
almost one-third of humanity totally offline and many hundredsof millions more without meaningful connectivity that could help
them build a better future.
We still have a long way to go to reach our dream of a fully
connected planet. But let’s also start the year by recognizing whata long way we have come since 1994, when I first joined the ITU
regulatory team. Back then, only some 20 million people – lessthan 0.1 per cent of the global population at that time – wereInternet users. Today, an estimated 5.3 billion are online, and that
number grows with every passing week.
The progress achieved to date reflects the tireless efforts ofITU staff, as well as the steadfast support, commitment, and hard
work of ITU members.
All that terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure; all those
software protocols, satellite systems, undersea cables; all thoseagreements on the shared use of resources like radio-frequency
spectrum – in short, all those complex networks empoweringbillions of people and supporting millions of businesses aroundthe world – are founded on the crucial technical, regulatoryand development work that takes place under auspices of ITU
as the United Nations specialized agency for information andcommunication technologies. I believe this is something in which
we can all take enormous pride.
Throughout the course of this long journey, I cannot overstate
the contributions of the Japanese government and the ITU
Association of Japan in supporting our work.
Over many years, Japan has been a leading champion ofinnovation and digital development. It has put its considerable
talents and resources to work to pioneer new technicalstandards though our ITU Standardization (ITU-T) andRadiocommunication (ITU-R) study groups; helped forge

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thought leadership on telecommunications policy issues throughour many regional and global events; and worked alongside ITU
on the ground to mitigate the impact of natural disasters, addresshuman and environmental challenges, and expand meaningfulconnectivity to those most in need.
At the height of the global pandemic, Japan came forward asa founding member of the Connect2Recover initiative, working
alongside ITU and partners to reinforce digital resilience in theworld’s least developed countries, landlocked developing countries,
small island developing states, and countries undergoing transition
or facing disruption.
I extend my most sincere commendation and gratitude toJapan for its commitment and support in helping us building aconnected and trusted digital future.
We’ve made tremendous progress together, but there is still
so much left to do, especially for those who are unconnected,
vulnerable or otherwise digitally excluded.
The ITU Strategic Plan for 2024-2027, adopted during our2022 Plenipotentiary Conference in Romania, encompasses
two core strategic goals: Universal Connectivity and Sustainable
Digital Transformation.
Achieving these goals entails significant challenges. But thosewill be far from insurmountable if we all work together towards ashared global vision. As we approach 2030, the target date for theUN Sustainable Development Goals, we must seize our chance toleverage the power and potential of digital technologies to ensurethat no one is left behind.
The actions we take today will lay the foundation for thefuture – not just for us, but for generations to come. As UN
Secretary-General António Guterres said: “We, the leaders, mustdeliver for we, the peoples.”I know that, as always, ITU can count on Japan to bring an
exceptional level of energy and expertise to the challenges ahead.
I look forward very much to working with ITU’s new leadershipteam, including distinguished engineer Seizo Onoe, our newDirector of Telecommunication Standardization, as we all seek
new ways to advance the power of technologies and connectivity tochange the world.
Once again, I thank the Government of Japan, the ITU
Association, and Japan’s many ITU sector members and partners
for their invaluable role in promoting digital development anddriving innovation.
May this year, and the many years to come, be prosperous,
progressive, and peaceful for all.