The International Telecommunication Union's Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-23) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, GSR-23, was held earlier in June under the theme “Regulation for a sustainable digital future”, and featured thematic sessions bringing together regulators, policy makers and other digital stakeholders from around the world and providing a global platform for knowledge exchange.
At the three-day event, participants discussed the topics facing regulators today while also planning for the future.
“Dialogue among policy-makers, regulators and industry is critical," said Cosmas Zavazava, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau. “We each have a role to play in ensuring universal and meaningful connectivity, which, as we already know, has the potential to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The Best Practice Guidelines build on our collective knowledge and shared commitment to provide the tools we need to drive universal connectivity and sustainable digital transformation."
Ahead of GSR-23, the Industry Advisory Group on Development Issues and Chief Regulatory Officers (IAGDI-CRO) engaged industry and private sector members to discuss and share perspectives on how they can contribute to achieving effective digital transformation. These discussions were reflected in an Outcome Statement presented at the GSR-23 closing ceremony by Bocar BA, IAGDI-CRO Chairman and CEO of SAMENA Telecommunications Council. The meeting reaffirmed the private sector's commitment to supporting governments, particularly regulators, during today's volatile and ever-changing environment, to achieve common goals both in the near and long term.
CEO of SAMENA Council, prior to the GSR-23 had acknowledged that “Regulation is what keeps things in flow, and when done right, ensures predictability, stability, and aids informed decision-making and innovation. With well-crafted regulations, we can ensure that digital technology is used to bring benefit to the public, not exploit it, and to help support the creation of a secure, sustainable, and a bright digital future for both businesses and the society, at large. Moreover, good regulation would help set incentives, sustain investments, and would guarantee level-playing field for businesses and varied choices for the end-user. The values we want to promote, such as safety, privacy, and security, all require regulations. Thus, the role of regulatory authorities is tremendous, and it requires to be tremendously driven by an industry-enablement mindset that supports digital infrastructure development for all people.”
The Best Practice Guidelines adopted at the GSR-23 International Telecommunication Union's Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-23) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, define regulatory and economic incentives to stimulate the deployment of digital infrastructure for all people everywhere. Since 2003, the GSR Best Practice Guidelines have captured established regulatory principles for a competitive, safe, and inclusive enabling environment.
The 2023 Guidelines address and identify incentives that can be used to expand connectivity, and support access, adoption, and use. They also identify novel, innovative, ground-breaking, evidence-based cross-sector digital policy and regulatory principles to support a sustainable digital future for all people everywhere.
Based on contributions from national and regional policy-makers and regulators, regional and international organizations, civil society and the private sector, the guidelines identify collaborative approaches to encourage the development of investor-friendly markets that promote competition while stimulating innovation.