At this year’s UN General Assembly, leaders came together to endorse the Pact for the Future, a forward-thinking agreement launched at the United Nations Summit of the Future. Signed on September 22, 2024, the pact lays out a clear path for rolling out advanced telecom systems and bridging digital divides across the globe.

Global Digital Compact: Connecting the World

The Global Digital Compact, which is the overarching objective of the Pact, is a crucial development in global digital cooperation. Its significance was underscored by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who reiterated that:

"The Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations open the door to new opportunities and untapped possibilities."

The Global Digital Compact sets out several important principles that will greatly influence the telecommunications industry among other sectors:

  1. Universal Internet Access: World leaders have committed to facilitating Internet connectivity for individuals and institutions such as schools and hospitals. This ambitious goal is closely related to SDG9, which aims to build resistant infrastructure and foster inclusive and sustainable industrialisation.
  2. Human Rights in the Digital Era: The Compact places such cooperation on legal foundations based on democratic principles and human rights values, meaning that no development may come at the expense of people’s freedoms.
  3. Online Safety: Governments and tech companies have committed to making the online space safe for all users, with a focus on protecting children.
  4. AI Governance: The Compact includes a provision for regulating Artificial Intelligence, which comprises an international scientific panel and Global Policy Dialogue on AI.
  5. Open Data and Accessibility: Adopting open data policies regarding data, models, and standards will fuel growth and cooperation in the technology area.

Sustainable Development and Digital Inclusion

Looking Ahead: A Connected Future

The adoption of the Pact for the Future and its associated commitments marks a significant milestone in global efforts to harness the power of telecommunications for sustainable development. According to the United Nations, More than 7,000 civil participants attended, resulting in pledges aggregating USD 1.05 billion for furthering a cause such as digital inclusion worldwide.

As we progress, the telecommunications industry will play a pivotal role in implementing these ambitious goals.

The President of the UN General Assembly aptly summarised the potential impact of the Pact:

"It will lay the foundations for a sustainable, just, and peaceful global order – for all peoples and nations."

With the globalisation of the world today, the telecommunications industry is in the vanguard of creating favourable opportunities. The undertaking made at the UN Summit of the Future offers a Vision for the Present and the Future which seeks to be inclusive, just, sustainable, and, most importantly, digitally empowered. Read More