IFIP Congratulates New ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin

IFIP has congratulated Doreen Bogdan-Martin on her recent appointment as ITU Secretary-General. She will take over from Houlin Zhou on 1 January 2023 for a four-year term.

“IFIP looks forward to supporting Ms Bogdan-Martin’s efforts and working with her to achieve our mutual goals,” said IFIP Vice President, Moira de Roche.

Bogdan-Martin will be the first woman to lead ITU, which was established in 1865 and became a United Nations specialised agency in 1947.

She has held leadership positions in international telecommunications policy for over two decades. Throughout her career, she has brokered innovative and visionary partnerships with the private sector, civil society, and other United Nations agencies to accelerate digital inclusion and connectivity.

In accepting the role, Bogdan-Martin said: “I fully believe in the power and potential of connectivity to drive economic growth and transform healthcare, education, employment, gender equality and youth empowerment. We are riding a powerful wave of innovation, and we need to seize this opportunity to improve peoples’ lives – especially those who are excluded. What we do now will affect generations to come.

“Digital technologies will be crucial to efforts to meet the 17 SDGs and build a strong and stable foundation for global development. Today’s world is facing significant challenges – escalating conflicts, a climate crisis, food security, gender equality and 2.7 billion people who have still never connected to the internet. I believe ITU and its members can make a transformational contribution to forging a better world. Our sector is one of continuous innovation and it can, and will, be a key enabler in helping mankind address many of these critical issues.

“As Secretary-General, I will continue to push this institution to be even more agile, innovative and relevant, to help everyone, everywhere, embrace tomorrow’s digital environment and the huge opportunities it brings.”