The Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan reported that representatives from the country took part in the 21st Symposium on Telecommunication and ICT Indicators (WTIS-26), which was held in Geneva on September 7–8.
The central theme of the symposium was the role of statistical data in shaping digital policy. Participants discussed the effective application of data in a rapidly changing digital environment, evidence-based approaches, and new methods for measuring digital transformation.
The WTIS-26 program covered topics such as digital inclusion, the use of new data sources, artificial intelligence in official statistics, and assessing the sustainability of digital transformation. Participants also examined the application of AI and mobile data in developing public policy and official statistics.
The event presented the results of the ITU Data Hackathon. Participants were shown data-driven solutions for identifying the digital divide, detecting areas with unnoticed digital communication issues, and ensuring universal and meaningful digital accessibility.
The symposium ran parallel to the annual meetings of the Expert Group on Telecommunication/ICT Indicators (EGTI) and the Expert Group on Household ICT Indicators (EGH) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The EGH and EGTI meetings, held from September 9 to 11, focused on improving ICT indicators, developing new indicators, and determining priority areas of work for 2027. Special attention was paid to measuring the use of artificial intelligence in households, broadband access indicators via satellite systems, assessing the environmental impact of ICT and AI infrastructure, digital data visualization, and the use of GIS tools.
WTIS is an international ITU event dedicated to measuring digital development, using statistical data in digital policy decision-making, and improving ICT indicators.