- Office of Electronic Communications

Poland Re-elected as ITU Council Member State

In an election at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s Plenipotentiary Conference held on 5 November 2018, Poland received 125 votes and was re-elected as a Council Member. This was a result of co-operation between the Office of Electronic Communications, Ministry of Digital Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the electoral campaign and of the long-standing involvement of these institutions in ITU activities.

So far, Poland has been participating in the work of ITU in the following fields: electromagnetic radiation standards, infrastructure mapping, broadband networks and 5G development, or digital capacity building. We have also hosted a European conference on broadband infrastructure and QoS mapping and workshops concerning mID (mobile ID) implementation. We have also actively participated in the debate on Internet management. During the annual WSIS Forum conference, following a proposal by Poland, workshops were held promoting SMEs and innovative projects undertaken by universities. Our involvement in the digital area has been acknowledged by the ITU community – Poland has been awarded the WSIS Prize as many as four times.

Our goals in ITU

Poland has been involved in implementation of ITU Regional Initiatives aimed at improving the digital standards of the less developed countries of the region. We have co-authored 2 out of 5 initiatives for Europe adopted at the WTDC-17 conference regarding broadband infrastructure and radio spectrum management, as well as citizen-friendly e-administration.

In the new term, Poland is planning to continue participation in the above activities and to enhance participation in discussions on new technologies, including artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. We would like ITU to become a platform for effective sharing of experiences. The most important topics for us include: network development in less accessible areas, use cases for new technologies, and digital capacity building among children and youth.

What is ITU?

The International Telecommunication Union is the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies. ITU has a crucial role in regulating radio spectrum allocation, creating technical standards, as well as creation and accomplishment of initiatives supporting the developing countries.

During the Plenipotentiary Conference the new management team was elected (Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, Directors of the three Bureaus: of the Radiocommunication, of the Telecommunication Development, and of the Telecommunication Standardization), as well as the new members of the ITU Council and the Radio Regulations Board. The ITU Council has 48 Member States which provide ongoing supervision of the Union’s management. The Council also has working groups dedicated to issues such as: international aspects of Internet management, implementation of WSIS conclusions, protection of children, and ITU organisational matters.