Global Regulators Endorse Blueprint for Future Digital Ecosystems at ITU Symposium

Global Regulators Endorse Blueprint for Future Digital Ecosystems at ITU Symposium

A special session of the Network of Women (NoW) in ITU’s Telecommunication Development Sector, discussing inclusive regulation, AI for green and trusted digital environments, and women’s leadership in digital policy.

RMN News Technology Desk
September 4, 2025

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 03 September 2025 – Telecommunications regulators from across the globe have endorsed new guidelines aimed at building digital ecosystems for essential national services, including healthcare, education, and finance. The endorsement came today at the closing of the three-day Global Symposium for Regulators 2025 (GSR-25) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The GSR-25 Best Practice Guidelines, issued during the symposium’s conclusion, outline key tools and frameworks designed to drive regulatory innovation and construct sustainable information and communication technology (ICT) ecosystems. These guidelines are intended to ensure that digital societies and economies can deliver prosperity for all. They also underscore the critical need to foster innovation, adapt capacity, and strengthen cooperation to support the work of regulators.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary-General, highlighted the symposium’s long-standing impact, stating that “GSR has spent 25 years lighting the path from dial-up to digital society”. She emphasized the vital role of regulators as “the bridge to a future where everyone, everywhere, can thrive online,” particularly given that 2.6 billion people remain unconnected.

H.E. Eng. Haitham AlOhaly, Governor of Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space & Technology Commission and Chair of GSR-25, described the guidelines as a “collective commitment to reimagine regulation for the digital era“. He stressed that by “fostering collaboration and leveraging innovations in emerging technologies such as AI and big data, we can strengthen our economies, empower our societies, and ensure that digital transformation delivers for all“.

Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, remarked that for a “quarter of a century, GSR has served as a cornerstone of global digital development amid waves of technological change”. He added that the Best Practice Guidelines are “a chronicle of our digital age and of the central role GSR has played in supporting regulators throughout the years”.

Established by the ITU in 2000, the GSR series acts as the world’s regulatory compass on telecommunications, guiding countries towards harmonized, forward-looking regulation in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. GSR-25 celebrated this 25-year milestone, bringing together over 1,200 participants, including Ministers and Heads of Regulatory Authorities.

In addition to endorsing the new guidelines, participants at GSR-25 shared insights on pressing regulatory issues, including:

• The governance of artificial intelligence (AI).
• The growing space economy.
• Sustainable digital transformation.
• The release of “Policy practices for e-waste management: Tools for a balanced and fair circular economy – Second Edition,” a practical guide with an interactive toolkit for e-waste regulation development.
• A meeting of the Digital Regulation Network (DRN) and Regional Regulatory Associations (RA), which explored common approaches to collaborative digital policy, regulation, and governance across economic sectors and borders.
• The Heads of Regulators Executive Roundtable, where the Best Practice Guidelines were presented and adopted.
• A meeting of the Industry Advisory Group on Development Issues and Private Sector Chief Regulatory Officers (IAGDI-CRO), which produced an outcome statement based on industry priorities.
• A special session of the Network of Women (NoW) in ITU’s Telecommunication Development Sector, discussing inclusive regulation, AI for green and trusted digital environments, and women’s leadership in digital policy.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations agency for digital technologies, established in 1865. It coordinates global radio spectrum use, sets international technology standards, drives universal connectivity, and promotes sustainable digital transformation for all, including remote communities.