ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

🚨📢 OPEN NOW: Exciting opportunity! Join ITU Academy in Thailand for a week-long, in-person training on ' Evidence-based digital policies to achieve universal and meaningful connectivity '. 🌐 28 September – 02 October 2026, Bangkok 🔹 Designed for government officials, policy analysts, data specialists, and policymakers working on digital policy and telecommunications regulation. 🔹 Understand the economic, social, and environmental opportunities and risks of digital development, and the role of digital policies in advancing the SDGs through Universal and Meaningful Connectivity. 🔹 Identify and interpret ICT data on infrastructure, connectivity, affordability, access, usage, and digital skills, and combine statistical and geospatial evidence for policymaking. 🔹 Develop and present impactful, data-driven policy analyses and recommendations based on country case studies. Organized by the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in collaboration with the United Nations University-Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT) with funding from the #EU's #GlobalGateway initiative. Participation is free for selected participants, covering accommodation, meals and activities. Hurry up! ⏰ Limited spots (30 participants) | 🔗 Apply by 06 July 2026: http://itu.int/go/B46N

Bringing digital access and services closer to every village in Indonesia 🇮🇩 ITU, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs of Indonesia, and the Ministry of Villages of Indonesia came together in Jakarta to collaboratively develop the Village ICT Playbook—a practical guide to support villages in planning, building, managing, and sustaining digital infrastructure and services. The workshop brought together technical experts and stakeholders to review, refine, and strengthen approaches for inclusive and sustainable rural connectivity, digital governance, and community empowerment. Supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), this initiative contributes to advancing meaningful digital transformation at the village level. #DigitalAccess #DigitalTransformation #Indonesia

We were pleased to participate in the Girls in ICT Day Malaysia 2026 excursion to the CelcomDigi AI Experience Centre on 19 May 2026, hosted by CelcomDigi and organized by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).   The visit brought together 44 participants, including students from Multimedia University (MMU), representatives of persons with disabilities from Majlis Belia OKU Malaysia (MBOKU), representatives from indigenous communities through Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (JAKOA), as well as the MCMC secretariat and intern teams.   Through opening remarks and engagement, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) highlighted the importance of inclusive digital transformation, emphasizing that youth, persons with disabilities, and indigenous communities must be empowered to shape the digital future. The session also highlighted the ITU’s works on Girls in ICT and Smart Villages and Smart Islands (SVSI) initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region.   Participants explored AI applications and solutions across sectors including agriculture, health, education, commerce, as well as engaged in interactive sessions on career development and online safety delivered by CelcomDigi, gaining insights into digital opportunities.   🙏 Our sincere appreciation to the MCMC Malaysia, CelcomDigi, and all partners and participants for making this meaningful and inclusive experience possible.

🌐 Empowering the Next Generation: Girls in ICT Day Malaysia 2026   We were delighted to participate in the Malaysia 2026 National Celebration of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTSID) and Girls in ICT Day, held on 18 May 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, organized by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Ministry of Communications Malaysia.   With 475 participants including students, persons with disabilities, and representatives from indigenous communities, the event highlighted the importance of inclusive digital transformation and youth empowerment.   During the afternoon Girls in ICT programme under the theme “AI for Development: Girls Shaping the Digital Future,” the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) delivered opening remarks emphasizing the importance of empowering youth to bridge the digital divide and take active roles in shaping AI and ICT.   The ITU also moderated an engaging session on “AI for Good: How AI Solves Real-World Challenges,” which showcased how emerging technologies, particularly AI, are already addressing real-world challenges. The session also highlighted the Smart Villages and Smart Islands (SVSI) initiative and Girls in ICT activities across countries, including the Pacific and Pakistan.   We were inspired by the insights shared by distinguished speakers from Women in AI Malaysia, National AI Office (NAIO) Malaysia, and CarbonGPT.   🙏 Our sincere appreciation to MCMC Malaysia, Ministry of Communications Malaysia, and all partners, speakers, and participants for making this event impactful and inclusive.

The ITU and the GovTech Agency of the Royal Government of Bhutan successfully collaborated to build the capacity of around 30 professionals from the government, industry, and academia on designing interoperable digital government services through a hands-on workshop held in Thimphu from 14–16 April 2026.    The workshop opened with insightful remarks from Mr. Jigme Tenzing, Secretary, GovTech Agency, and Ms. Atsuko Okuda, Regional Director, ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, who provided strategic direction to the participants. In South Asia, The ITU Area Office for South Asia and Innovation Centre, Delhi, remains committed to supporting Member States in accelerating inclusive and sustainable digital transformation. Furthermore, ITU had a productive meeting with Mr. Gaurav Ray, UN Resident Coordinator in Bhutan, and Mr. Olaf Jan De Groot, Economist to exchange insights on ITU’s work in the region and explore opportunities for future collaboration and joint programmes.   The workshop strengthened participants’ capacity to design and implement Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) through a Whole-of-Government approach leveraging GovStack. The workshop contributed to ITU’s ongoing technical assistance to Member States in the Asia-Pacific region by supporting the strengthening of national digital government frameworks, accelerating DPI development, enabling whole-of-government dashboards, and improving interoperability at both national and regional levels. Collectively, these engagements have built the capacity of more than 1,400 participants across Asia-Pacific, supporting the adoption of integrated, Whole-of-Government approaches to digital transformation. #DigitalTransformation #GovTech #DPI #GovStack #Bhutan #Interoperability #CapacityBuilding #Innovation #DigitalGovernment #UNRCOBhutan #DoTIndia #India #Bangladesh #Nepal #Srilanka #Maldives #Iran #BIMSTEC

We are pleased to welcome the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) as an official member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This marks an important step toward strengthening regional cooperation on digital transformation and connectivity across the Bay of Bengal region. This milestone was marked by a meeting between H.E. Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary-General of BIMSTEC, and Ms. Atsuko Okuda, ITU Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, where they discussed opportunities for deeper collaboration. As a next step, ITU looks forward to supporting BIMSTEC Member States through a dedicated GovStack training in May 2026 in collaboration with BIMSTEC, aimed at enhancing digital government services through a whole-of-government approach. The ITU Area Office for South Asia and Innovation Centre, Delhi is excited about this partnership and the opportunities it brings to accelerate inclusive and sustainable digital development in the region. #BIMSTEC #ITU #NewMember #DigitalTransformation #DoTIndia #India #Bangladesh #Bhutan #Nepal #Srilanka

Strengthening Emergency Telecommunications & Early Warnings in Asia‑Pacific   From 27–28 April 2026, ITU participated in a Regional Learning & Sharing Workshop in Thailand on “Communication for Action: Strengthening Weather and Climate Information Services.” The workshop was organized under the Weather and Climate Information Services (WISER) programme by BBC Media Action, in collaboration with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).   The event brought together representatives from Nepal and Bangladesh, EW4All pillar leads (UNDRR, WMO, ITU, and IFRC), and regional and international partners including ADPC, ABU, UN ESCAP, FAO, WFP, and UNDP.   📡 ITU shared technical insights on integrating communications into national coordination and response plans—highlighting the role of National Emergency Telecommunication Plans (NETPs), Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), Cell Broadcast Solutions (CBS), and resilient telecommunications infrastructure.   🤝 The workshop further strengthened collaboration between ITU and BBC Media Action, reaffirming our shared commitment to effective warning dissemination and to advancing people‑centred Early Warning Systems across the Asia‑Pacific region.

Advancing cybersecurity and resilience in ITU’s newest Member State The ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific congratulates the Republic of Palau on the signing of its National Cybersecurity Strategy & Policy 2026–2030 by H.E. President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. ITU was pleased to support Palau in the development of this National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS), including through the organization and facilitation of NCS co-creation workshops in September 2025, which were also formally inaugurated by H.E. Surangel S. Whipps, Jr., President of Palau. ITU further provided technical assistance and advisory support throughout the policy development process, working closely with the Bureau of Communications and the Ministry of Finance. This Strategy represents an important milestone in strengthening cybersecurity and resilience in the country. ITU stands ready to continue supporting Palau in the implementation of this Strategy and in advancing a safe, secure, and inclusive digital future for all.

Early Warnings for All: From 20–24 April 2026, ITU, together with EW4All pillar partners — UNDRR, WMO, and IFRC — and in close collaboration with UN ESCAP, showcased ongoing efforts across Asia and the Pacific to strengthen early warning dissemination and communication. Held alongside the 82nd Commission Sessions of UN ESCAP at the United Nations Conference Centre in Thailand, the event strengthened inter‑pillar collaboration in advancing the Early Warnings for All initiative across Asia and the Pacific.

Strengthening Cyber Resilience in Malaysia 🇲🇾 From 16–17 April, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) contributed to the UNIDIR–Malaysia Cybersecurity Training in Putrajaya, Malaysia, supporting national cyber capacity‑building and policy development through dialogue, technical briefings and scenario‑based exercises. The training convened representatives from key Malaysian institutions to strengthen coordinated national responses to an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape, underscoring the importance of integrated and whole‑of‑government approaches to cyber resilience. As part of the programme, ITU delivered a session on operationalizing National Cybersecurity Strategies, with a focus on realistic prioritization and sequencing under evolving funding and human‑resource constraints. Exchanges also explored cyber resilience, emerging technologies, and the governance implications of AI. 🤝 ITU thanks UNIDIR for the collaboration, Malaysia’s National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) for the strong partnership, and Global Affairs Canada for its continued support in strengthening cybersecurity resilience across the Asia‑Pacific region. #ITU #Cybersecurity #CapacityDevelopment #CyberResilience #AsiaPacific