iNews24 · UN Reform and the Future
The International Telecommunication Union in an Era of War and AI: Challenges and Opportunities
English reading note on the article by Dr. Eun-Ju Kim.
The ITU began with international cooperation on telegraph networks. Today, the Doha Plenipotentiary Conference brings governments together to decide the Union’s leadership and its strategic, policy, and financial direction for 2028–2031.
Proposals cover AI, cybersecurity, internet governance, satellite orbits and spectrum, and the security of submarine cables. They also address how to protect communications networks in conflict zones and restore infrastructure damaged by war. Each of these issues raises the question of how much countries can accomplish together despite geopolitical rivalries.
Dr. Kim asks whether the ITU can turn these pressures into opportunities for cooperation while narrowing digital divides. The choices in Doha will help determine whether the Union can pursue those goals while earning public trust through transparent and accountable governance.