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Global leaders in information and communication technologies will draw up a new roadmap for inclusive digital development at the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2025 (WTDC-25), taking place from 17 to 28 November in Baku, Azerbaijan.
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Organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and hosted by the Government of Azerbaijan, the discussions at WTDC-25 will focus on the push for universal, meaningful and affordable connectivity.
“For the 2.6 billion unconnected, digital development is more than a technical challenge. It’s a test of our collective commitment to an inclusive, sustainable digital future for all,” said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “WTDC-25 is our moment to transform that commitment into action so that everyone, everywhere can benefit from technology.”
Advancing connectivity and digital development
Taking place every four years, WTDC strengthens global collaboration on telecommunications challenges and develops forward-thinking solutions that unlock the potential of technology to benefit society.
“Hosting WTDC-25 in Baku — the first in the Commonwealth of Independent States — is an honour and a historic vote of confidence from the ITU, forged over three decades of partnership since 1992,” said Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport. “Providing the venue for this important conference underscores Azerbaijan’s rising leadership in meaningful connectivity and sustainable digital transformation, and our determination to shape the future of global telecommunications and digital inclusion.”
Held under the theme “Universal, meaningful, and affordable connectivity for an inclusive and sustainable digital future,” WTDC-25 will emphasize the digital development needs of the world’s least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS).
ITU, the UN agency for digital technologies, estimates that about 2.6 billion people around the world lack access to the Internet. Expanding connectivity remains especially challenging in the LDCs and LLDCs, with just over one-third of their populations online.
Setting telecommunication development priorities
In Baku, ITU Member States will set priorities for the next four years for ITU’s Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D), the ITU body that promotes socio-economic development through information and communication technologies.
Delegates will also adopt regional initiatives and approve questions to be addressed by ITU study groups in the same 2026-2029 period.
“Sustainable digital transformation calls for bold, human-centred action coupled with investment in resilient infrastructure, innovation and inclusiveness,” said Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau. “WTDC-25 is our chance to define the next steps together with our members and partners to bridge the multiple digital divides to make meaningful connectivity a reality for everyone.”
With the end of the decade approaching, WTDC will reaffirm the importance of digital technologies to advance people’s well-being, protect the planet, and boost prosperity for all.
