Latest news with #DoreenBogdanMartin
Reuters
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Trump administration backs U.S. candidate to retain UN telecoms post
GENEVA, June 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Wednesday backed a Biden-era nominee to stay in charge of a U.N. telecoms agency, underlining U.S. interest in global technologies in a relatively rare show of support for a multilateral body under the Trump administration. U.S. President Donald Trump has so far largely retreated from U.N. institutions: he has cut funding to aid agencies, plans to leave, opens new tab the World Health Organization and has not yet installed permanent U.N. ambassadors in New York or Geneva. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio endorsed U.S. candidate Doreen Bogdan-Martin for re-election to the International Telecommunication Union - a 160-year-old Geneva-based agency that sets standards for new technologies. "At a time when global networks and digital technologies are increasingly impacting the global economy, ITU needs the right leadership," Rubio said. The qualified radio operator who grew up in New Jersey and spent most of her career at the ITU, was elected the first woman to lead it in 2022, when she beat, opens new tab the Russian candidate after a campaign publicly endorsed by former President Joe Biden. As with many U.N. elections, nation state endorsement is a condition to run for the ITU election set to take place in 2026. The ITU has so far been spared most of the foreign aid cuts. Trump said in February that the United Nations had "great potential and ... we'll continue to go along with it, but they got to get their act together". Trump has said he wants his former national security adviser Mike Waltz to be his next New York U.N. ambassador.
Times of Oman
18-05-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
International Telecommunication Union marks 160 years of connecting world
Geneva: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commemorated 160 years dedicated to connecting the world on Saturday, 17 May, during the annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. "For 160 years, ITU has brought the world together to ensure technology benefits all of humanity," said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. "In this milestone year, let's reaffirm our commitment to building a shared digital future where no one is left behind, and where everyone can thrive." Since its founding on 17 May 1865, ITU has been at the forefront of technology innovation, fostering multilateralism, social and economic growth, security and safety. From telegraphy and the first radio signals, to satellites, mobile phones and the latest developments in AI and quantum computing, ITU inspires innovation through cooperation as it works for a world where everyone, everywhere is connected. Notable ITU achievements include: Since 1963, ITU has ensured fair and reliable access to satellite orbits for ITU Member States. Space is now home to satellites from 91 countries that provide services to billions of people. In 1976, ITU published a technical standard allowing computer networks to work together, laying the foundation for the modern Internet. ITU publishes over 300 open standards every year, making emerging technologies safer, more reliable, and more impactful. In the decade since ITU's 150th anniversary, global connectivity has doubled. Today, two-thirds of the world's population is online, benefiting from the opportunities connectivity brings. Since 1906 - and now with 80 per cent of global goods currently transported by sea - ITU has provided rules and frequency resources that help ships communicate and navigate reliably and securely. With 99 per cent of all Internet traffic travelling through undersea cables, ITU promotes and facilitates efforts to enhance the resilience of this critical infrastructure. As part of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, ITU is highlighting the need to ensure that women and girls worldwide can benefit from and contribute to the globe's digital transformation. Of the 2.6 billion people around the world that are still unconnected, the majority are women and girls. It is estimated that 189 million fewer women were using the Internet than men in 2024, with gaps in access, affordability and digital skills hindering participation.
