2024 New Year Message

Doreen Bogdan-Martin
ITU Secretary-GeneralI

send my greetings and best wishes to all members of theITU Association of Japan for a joyful and prosperous yearahead. I also wish to express my gratitude for your diligent
efforts in our many successful collaborations throughout the pastyear.
Together we are making progress on our shared goals ofsustainable digital transformation and universal connectivity. AndI believe we are poised for even greater achievements in these areasin 2024.
We have much to celebrate, from the successful AI for Good
Summit in July to our inaugural SDG Digital event in September
ahead of the UN General Assembly meetings, where we outlined
a digital-driven action plan to accelerate the UN Sustainable
Development Goals.
Japan has shown exceptional leadership on the global stage,
promoting digital progress through its G7 presidency.
Technology was a central theme at the 49th G7 Summit heldin Hiroshima in May. I was pleased to see the initiation of theHiroshima Artificial Intelligence (AI) Process to set common
rules for governing AI and to foster its ethical development.
On October 30, G7 leaders affirmed their commitment tothe Hiroshima AI Process in a statement welcoming the guiding
principles and code of conduct. They pledged to manage risks
from generative AI models to protect individuals, civil society,and rule of law principles, with the goal of shaping an inclusive
governance for artificial intelligence.
Both ITU and the G7 are dedicated to creating a more
equitable, secure, and sustainable digital world for generations tocome. The groundbreaking work under the G7 Hiroshima AI
Process will benefit all the Member States ITU serves as the UN
agency for digital technologies.
I also commend Japan for hosting the Internet Governance
Forum this year in October.
In his opening IGF address, Prime Minister Fumio Kishidahighlighted the transformative potential of generative AI. I share
his enthusiasm for the positive impact AI can have on our shareddigital future and support his call for a balanced approach between
seizing AI’s opportunities and mitigating its risks.
We must also keep in mind that joining the AI revolution
requires being part of the broader digital revolution in the firstplace.
2.6 billion people are still offline across the world, with manyof them living in the Global South.

2New Breeze Winter 2024

Several countries — especially developing and least developed
countries — are struggling to build capacity to respond to thechallenges posed by AI while striving to seize digital opportunities
whenever and wherever possible.
To better understand each country’s ‘AI readiness,’ ITU issurveying its 193 Member States for a comprehensive overview.
We also plan to integrate AI capacity support into our digitaltransformation offerings in collaboration with partners
like UNDP, particularly in countries with low technologicalcapabilities.
ITU will continue to contribute to global AI governance,in particular in the key area of technical standards, which is aprerequisite for effective implementation of safeguards.
With only a few years left to deliver on the UN Sustainable
Development Goals by 2030, success hinges on our ability tomake progress on strategic objectives, as outlined in the SDG
Digital Acceleration Agenda launched by ITU and UNDP at theSDG Digital event in September.
As the UN Secretary-General said, the SDGs aren’t just a listof goals. They carry the hopes, dreams, rights and expectations ofpeople everywhere.
One number captures the significance of this moment morethan any other: 70% of the SDG targets directly benefit fromdigital technologies.
Where do we go from here? I have always believed strategic
partnerships and diverse financing can help advance a rangeof objectives. That is why ITU was proud to announce newcommitments from private sector, finance bodies, international
and philanthropic foundations at SDG Digital.
These include new commitments to our Partner2Connect
Digital Coalition, which now aims to mobilize 100 billion USD
in pledges by 2026. I thank entities in Japan for their pledges
worth 2.72 million USD supporting innovative projects to expand
connectivity and accelerate digital transformation globally. And I
encourage others to follow their example.
I would like to congratulate Seizo Onoe-san for a successful
first year in his leadership of ITU’s Standardization Bureau.
Digital technologies are on top of the global agenda. As welook forward to the next year’s Summit of the Future in September
and Japan hosting Expo 2025, I believe we have a once-in-ageneration opportunity to shape the digital world we want — onethat empowers everyone, everywhere.
Happy New Year!