Saudi Arabia will host international delegates in Riyadh from August 28-31 to discuss the future of global digital communications ahead of ITU's 2022 Plenipotentiary Conference in BucharestRomania during Sept. 26-Oct. 14. The Preparatory Meeting will help the ITU craft the next four years of its global agenda ahead of the 2022 elections. "Riyadh is the ideal venue to bring together ICT and digital leaders from around the world to align on the next generation of sustainable ICT policies," Communications & Information Technology Commission (CITC) Governor Mohammed Al-Tamimi said. Saudi Arabia is hosting two ITU preparatory meetings: Arab states and inter-regional. The first, a gathering of the League of Arab States (LAS) members of the ITU, will allow the region to better coordinate its digital policies and sustainable development goals. The inter-regional meeting, chaired by Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, will allow representatives from the ITU's six regions to identify common digital policies for the next four years. Saudi Arabia is positioned to act as a convener and mediator between the Arab world and the ITU's 193 members to forge the best global digital policies. Given its historic commitment to the Union, Saudi Arabia is also submitting its candidacy to stay on the ITU Council from 2023-26. Joining in 1949, it has served on the Council since 1964. Saudi is now ranked 1st in MENA and 6th among G20 by the ITU for regulatory excellence; and 2nd in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) by ITU and also in the digital competitiveness among G20 economies by WEF. Powering this digital economy women represent 30% of the digital workforce (surpassing G20 and EU average). — SG
