Baku, Azerbaijan, December 2, 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Member States of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) have agreed on a roadmap aimed at ensuring everyone’s access to the Internet worldwide. This decision was adopted today at the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-25), which concluded in Baku.
The two-week event was organized through a partnership between ITU and the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The conference, held for the first time in the CIS region of Azerbaijan, provided a platform for discussions on regional and international digital development strategies.
“As President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev emphasized in his speech, Baku became the place where Member States and partners agreed on practical results to guide the ITU’s development work over the next four years,” said Rashad Nabiyev, Minister of Digital Development and Transport. “Working with our partners, Azerbaijan has helped shape these results. The adoption of the Baku Declaration, which includes a reference to the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action, reflects our shared commitment to an inclusive and sustainable digital future.”
The resolutions adopted at the conference cover several areas, including spectrum management, cybersecurity, digital inclusion, ICT application and regulation, innovation and the deployment of digital technologies in remote areas.
The Baku Action Plan, the main outcome document of the conference, defines the core directions for people-oriented digital development through telecommunications and ICT. The plan particularly prioritizes the needs of developing countries, communities with limited access to digital services and vulnerable populations.
Currently, more than 2 billion people worldwide do not have access to the internet. The four-year plan for the period 2026-2029 will support the development of universal, meaningful and affordable connectivity for an inclusive and sustainable digital future.
“WTDC-25 has brought us closer to our goal of making connectivity universal, meaningful and affordable for everyone, everywhere this decade,” said ITU Secretary General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “The Baku Declaration and Action Plan is our roadmap to human-centered digital development that leaves no one behind.”
The Baku Action Plan includes regional initiatives, new and updated resolutions to guide the ITU’s digital development activities, as well as recommendations for the ITU’s Telecommunications Development Sector (ITU-D). The document also defines technical issues to be examined by the organization’s expert groups.
Regional initiatives in the action plan focus on key priorities for digital development in the ITU’s six world regions, such as ensuring access to infrastructure, improving digital skills and providing inclusive services. ITU plans to build partnerships and mobilize resources for projects that address identified regional needs.
“The outcomes of WTDC-25, contained in the Baku Action Plan, reflect the needs, priorities and aspirations of our membership for a forward-looking and results-oriented agenda for digital development and impact,” said Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Bureau of Telecommunication Development. “The plan outlines the roadmap for action to bridge the remaining digital divide while addressing the unique needs of least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States. We look forward to delivering tangible results and accelerating digital transformation by working with governments and regulators to create a supportive policy and regulatory framework that paves the way for industry and the private sector to invest and contribute to our efforts to bridge infrastructure gaps so we can achieve meaningful connectivity and bring everyone online.”
During the conference, ITU presented the Global Connectivity Report 2025. The report provides recommendations to ensure that people everywhere have access to high-quality internet services at affordable prices.
Several agreements were also signed during the event. A two-year project will be implemented to ensure the sustainability of the national ‘Smart Villages’ and ‘Smart Islands’ programs in the Asia-Pacific region. This initiative will serve as a model for improving digital skills and providing access to digital services in rural and remote communities, benefiting 3,000 people in seven countries.
A project will also be implemented in the CIS region to support the development of professional and digital skills. The project will be implemented in collaboration with the international organization Intersputnik and will benefit 300 professionals working in the field of satellite communications and broadcasting technologies.
WTDC-25 also included a high-level dialogue for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Countries representing these groups shared their plans to expand broadband coverage, promote people-centered sustainable development and ensure a secure digital future for all.
This release is published on openPR.