Ursula participates in ITUs High-Level panel and networking meeting

Ghana’s Minister for Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD), Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful (MP), on the morning of September 30, 2022 participated in a High-level panel and networking breakfast discussions on the topic: ‘Strengthening Women’s Empowerment and Leadership in the ITU’.

The meeting was organized as part of the 2022 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference which is currently ongoing in Romania and it is the first gender-responsive plenipotentiary.

The event was aimed at advancing gender equality by upholding actions on agenda-setting, participation, governance, working environment, and decision-making.

The program brought together women ministers from the Six ITU regions (Africa, America, Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe) and delegates who have been committed to bridging the gender digital divide.

The hallmark of the gender equality event at PP-22 also aims at fostering global Women’s networks, inspire current and future generations of women leaders in telecommunications/ICTs and build an inclusive world.

Speaking on the panel, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful indicated that she empowers girls through the Girls-in-ICT initiative which now has three (3) targets for girls in;

a). the Primary to JHS; b). Senior High Schools (SHS); and c). Tertiary Schools.

She explained that the Ministry has dedicated the initiative to leapfrog opportunities that would help bridge the gender digital divide and mentor the girls to take up leadership positions wherever they find themselves (soft skills).

She called on the membership of ITU to invest in and support while consciously involving women in ITU in matters to build their capacities in developing contributions and advocate them during ITU meetings, assemblies and conferences.

About the Gender-responsive PP

ITU, as the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), is committed to connecting all the world’s people – wherever they live and whatever their means. In this context, including a gender perspective in ITU’s work is essential to ensure that the benefits of ICTs are made available to all women and men on a fair and equitable basis.

Following the PP-2018 recommendation to foster the participation of women in all ITU decision-making processes, together with the Host Country, ITU works to ensure that the PP-22 Conference becomes a gender-responsive event.

A gender-responsive event is one that aims to advance gender equality by upholding actions on agenda-setting, participation, governance, working environment, and decision-making which, when used collectively, can work as a system to accelerate, achieve, and sustain gender equality, as well as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 (SDG 5), and contribute to a gender equal and inclusive society.

ITU Commonwealth Election

Ghana has been elected Chair of the Commonwealth ITU Group (CIG) for a four-year term in Bucharest, Romania.

The CIG which is made up of fifty-four (54) Commonwealth countries meets periodically to establish a set of objectives to be achieved at various conferences and meetings of the ITU on a myriad of subjects including International Telecom Regulation, Policy, Radio Spectrum and its related matters, type approval and standardisation.

The goal of the objectives is to address the concerns of member-states in all aspects of telecommunications development and implementation.

This marks Ghana’s first time serving on the Group as its Chair; Ghana co-chaired the Group with the United Kingdom for the just-ended tenure.

United Kingdom is now the Vice Chair responsible for the Europe while India, Trinidad and Tobago were also elected the Vice-Chairs responsible for Asia and the Americas respectively.

Ghana, represented by the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, will lead the team to achieve its objectives at various WTSA, ITU Plenipotentiary, WTDC and WRC conferences within the next four years.

In a statement, the Hon. Minister expressed Ghana’s appreciation to the Group for the confidence placed in Ghana.

She indicated that in a spirit of continuity and efficiency, Ghana will continue to serve the Group to ensure the achievement of its objectives.

The Commonwealth ITU Group was established during the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in September 2002.

WTPF-21 Report

Also the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful as the Chair of the sixth World Telecommunication/ICT Policy Forum (WTPF-21), has presented a Report on the WTPF-21 to participants.

The report which was presented on 28th September, 2022 summarises the preparatory process, roll-out and outcome of the WTPF-21. The report, as presented by the Minister, covers five thematic areas as listed below:

• Enabling environment for the development and deployment of new and emerging telecommunication/ICT services and technologies to advance sustainable development
• Affordable and secure connectivity in mobilising new and emerging telecommunications/ICTs for sustainable development
• Digital literacy and skills for inclusive access
• New and emerging technologies and services to facilitate the use of telecommunications/ICTs for sustainable development
• Use of telecommunications/ICTs in COVID-19 and future pandemic and epidemic preparedness and response

The 2022 Session of Council, the World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly as well as the World Telecommunication Development Conference have all applauded the outcomes of WTPF-21.

The Plenipotentiary Conference (PP) is ITU’s highest policy-making body which meets once every four years to set the Union’s general policies, adopt the four-year strategic and financial plans, as well as elect the senior management team of the organization, the Member States of the Council, and the members of the Radio Regulations Board. This year’s conference dubbed PP-22 will be held in Bucharest, Romania, from 26 September to 14 October, 2022.