PP-26 opens in Doha

Monday, 9 November

The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, PP-26, opened with the flags of the State of Qatar and ITU raised simultaneously as delegates gathered to set ITU’s strategic direction through 2031.

Amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and space-based technologies, an estimated 2 billion people are still offline. Conference discussions will also highlight key challenges in expanding connectivity, boosting infrastructure resilience, strengthening emergency communications, optimizing space networks, and leveraging emerging technologies for global development.

The ITU Secretary-General urged delegates to respond collectively to technological change and widening digital challenges, noting that countries are entering the AI era from very different starting points and that increasingly interconnected digital systems necessitate vigorous international cooperation.

Host-country leaders emphasized cooperation and consensus, with Qatar’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, H.E. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, highlighting how policymakers and the global digital industry have come together, while PP-26 Chair Ahmad bin Abdulla AlMuslemani called for “inclusive, transparent, and constructive” deliberations over the next three weeks.

ITU’s leadership elections begin on 12 November, followed by decisions on ITU’s strategic and financial plans for 2028-2031 and policy priorities for the coming period.