COMMUNIQUÉ | CTU ICT Week 2024 – Saint Kitts and Nevis

30^th September to 4th October 2024

The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) hosted CTU ICT Week 2024 in Saint Kitts and Nevis under the theme “Bridging Technologies for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future”. The event brought together over 200 attendees, including government officials, industry experts and key stakeholders to discuss and advance digital development initiatives in the Caribbean.

Website for the Week, which includes presentations provided in open meetings: https://ctu.int/event/ctu-ict-week-2024/.

Key Events

CTU ICT Week 2024 featured several high-level meetings and forums, including:

• 22^nd Ministerial Seminar
• 2^nd Caribbean ICT Youth Network Forum
• 51^st Executive Council
• 30^th General Conference of Ministers
• 9^th Caribbean ICT Regulators Forum
• Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda (CCA) Legal Reform and Digitalisation for Global Trade
• ICT4PWDs Workshops for the Blind, Deaf and Persons with Mobility Challenges
• Caribbean Network Operators Group (CARIBNOG) Special Meeting
• St. Kitts Secondary School Forum
• Cybersecurity Awareness Forum
• St. Kitts Tech Fest

Key Stakeholders

Notable attendees included:

• Hon. Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, CARICOM Lead on Science and Technology
• Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
• Mr. John Omo, Secretary General, African Telecommunications Union (ATU) (virtual)
• Ms. Bernadette Lewis, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO)
• Representatives from civil society, the private sector, and specialised governmental agencies.

Key Discussions

1. Emerging Technology Trends – 6G and Beyond: Experts examined advancements beyond 5G and the Caribbean’s readiness for next-generation technologies.
2. Cloud Adoption in Government: Strategies for implementing cloud solutions in the public sector and regional collaboration were discussed.
3. Digital Inclusion Initiatives: Emphasis was placed on bridging the digital divide and enhancing digital literacy.
4. Data Privacy in an AI-Driven World: Discussions focused on AI’s impact on data privacy and the need for robust regulatory frameworks.
5. ICT Resiliency Amid Climate Change: The need to strengthen ICT infrastructure to withstand climate-related challenges was highlighted.
6. Harmonising Digital Transformation Efforts: The establishment of a regional regulatory unit was proposed to coordinate digital transformation initiatives was communicated.
7. Youth Engagement and Innovation: A two-day hackathon engaged St. Kitts youth in software development and innovation.

Statutory Meetings Decisions and Resolutions

Executive Council Decisions/Highlights

The Executive Council approved private sector membership for three companies: Amazon, Google, and Welchman Keen, representatives from each of which presented at the joint EC-GC meeting.

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) also delivered a special presentation on digital initiatives for postal sector modernisation.

Executive Council Elections

• Chair: Barbados (Re-elected)
• Vice-Chair: Grenada  (Re-elected)

General Conference Resolutions

1. GC30-08.1 – SG-Tenure
   1. The General Conference extended the tenure of the Secretary-General of the CTU for another four-year term (2025-2029), recognising achievements during the first tenure.
2. GC30-08.2 – Establishment of a Regional Regulatory Body (RRB) for Telecommunications
   1. The General Conference endorsed the establishment of a Regional Regulatory Body (RRB) for telecommunications and ICT in CARICOM, comprising representatives from regulatory agencies in CARICOM Member States.
3. GC30-08.3 – Rationalising of ICT Governance in CARICOM Member States and the CTU
   1. The General Conference called for the rationalising of the mandates of the CTU General Conference fi Ministers and COTED-ICT.

General Conference Elections

• President: Trinidad and Tobago (Re-elected)
• Vice-President: Saint Kitts and Nevis  (Newly elected)

Elected officers will serve a two-year term until 2026.

CTU ICT Week 2024 reaffirmed the region’s commitment to fostering digital transformation, collaboration and inclusive technological advancement to build a resilient and sustainable Caribbean digital economy.

Future Engagements

The CTU ICT Week 2025 will be hosted in Jamaica from 29^th September to 3^rd October 2025. Planning discussions with Jamaica are ongoing.