ITU Digital World 2020 Event Postponed

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Ministry of Information and Communications, Viet Nam have postponed ITU Digital World 2020, the global tech event for government, industry, and SMEs.

The event will now take place as ITU Digital World 2021 in September 2021 in the same venue in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.

According to ITU, the world is facing an unprecedented threat from COVID-19 and ICT has become a key ally in combating this threat and helping to prevent, detect, and diagnose disease.

The COVID-19 crisis has also, however, highlighted its own digital divide, where many families, workers, businesses, and populations are not able to access or afford the benefits of digital technology.

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Action is urgently needed to ensure a fair access to ICTs, for the benefit of all, ITU said. Now, more than ever, governments, industry, international organizations, NGOs, academia and other stakeholders must work together to find mutually beneficial solutions.

“We must work together to highlight the critical importance of ICT in the wake of COVID-19, address the stark inequalities of access and adopt concrete, urgent measures to accelerate digital transformation across all sectors and to connect all global citizens to digital services,” ITU said in its statement issued today.

Only by international cooperation and collaborative action will we be able to combat these types of threats, close the digital divide, and build strong foundations for the future well-being of all, the statement added.