Collaborative and innovative approaches to regulation needed to unlock the full potential of digital technologies

Regulators from around the world gathered in Port Vila, Vanuatu, from 9 to 12 July for the ITU Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR). They identified and endorsed a set of regulatory Best Practice ​Guidelines to fast forward digital connectivity and allow people everywhere to benefit from digital transformation and participate in today’s digital economy. ​

To unlock the full potential of digital technologies and accelerate progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Guidelines emphasize the need for a more actionable, collaborative, and innovative outcome-based approach to regulation. They urge regulators and all stakeholders to be open to new regulatory tools and solutions and act now.

“This week, Vanuatu was the centre of the ICT regulatory world. GSR-19 gave us a golden opportunity to discuss connectivity strategies with regulators from the entire Pacific region and the rest of the world,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. “As regulators everywhere are faced with new technologies and new business and investment models, the GSR-19 Best Practice Guidelines show how critical collaborative regulation is to achieving the SDGs and delivering on the promise of the digital economy, including for the 3.7 billion people who are still not using the Internet.”

The GSR-19 Best Practice Guidelines call for the adoption of three new and innovative approaches for achieving inclusive digital infrastructure and services.

Original source: ITU
Published on 15 July 2019