Romania to host International Telecommunication Union Plenipotentiary Conference 2022

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) hasy signed an agreement with the Government of Romania for the hosting of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2022 (PP-22) in Bucharest, Romania's National Communications Administration and Regulation Authority (ANCOM) reported in a press statement released on Thursday. ITU's supreme governing body is set to convene from 26 September to 14 October 2022 at the Palace of the Parliament in the Romanian capital, marking the return of the conference to Europe after more than three decades. "The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of digital technologies and services like never before. Yet challenges remain everywhere. ITU member states will use PP-22 to set out a roadmap for 2024-2027, at a time when digital transformation is accelerating around the world," according to ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. According to ANCOM, the conference will elect ITU's next Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, and Directors of the Bureaux of the Radiocommunication Sector, the Telecommunication Standardization Sector, and the Telecommunication Development Sector, along with the members of the Radio Regulations Board. ITU member states will be invited to officially submit candidatures about one year prior to the conference. Candidatures must reach the ITU Secretary-General not later than 23:59hrs (Geneva time) on the 28th day prior to the conference, i.e., Monday, 29 August 2022. PP-22 is also to set ITU's general policies, adopt four-year strategic and financial plans, and address key ICT issues as requested by ITU members. ITU's Plenipotentiary Conference is held every four years, convening representatives of the organization's 193 Member States to oversee global radio spectrum allocation, the creation of global technical standards for information and communication technology (ICT) networks and services, and efforts to promote digital inclusion in under-served communities. After discussion at the 2019 session of the ITU Council, councillors agreed with the proposed location of PP-22 in Bucharest with the dates of 26 September to 14 October 2022 (C19/127). The previous ITU Plenipotentiary Conference was hosted in Dubai in 2018 by the Government of the United Arab Emirates. ITU's last Plenipotentiary Conference in Europe was hosted by France in 1989. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), driving innovation in ICTs together with 193 member states and a membership of over 900 companies, universities, and international and regional organisations. Established over 150 years ago, ITU is the intergovernmental body responsible for coordinating the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoting international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, improving communication infrastructure in the developing world, and establishing the worldwide standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communications systems. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Badea, editor: Mariana Nica; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Cristina Zaharia)