Testimonials

It is an international showcase where we are able to show to the world what we are doing but also it is a good learning process for us to learn a lot and move forward as a nation. Ben Chitsonga, Finanical Director, MACRA, Malawi

Being at the ITU conference has been extremely mind blowing for me, I have learnt so much in terms of SME programmes, technology and awareness of what other countries are doing, and I think the best thing for me is the just the togetherness of every country. It has been a really great platform and it has been really, really well organised. Temitope Awosika, MEDSAF, Global SME Award Greatest Social Impact Winner, Nigeria

It is very exciting. We have learnt a whole lot, even in connectivity itself, we have interacted with companies, we have networked a lot with investors, we have invited them to our country and we can transform our society through them. Hon. Sidie Tunis, Minority Chief Whip, Sierra Leone

The value comes from the opportunity to network, and to get to know your peers, your potential customers and the other entities you can collaborate with. Dr. A.R. Sharafat, Senior Advisor, MCIT, Iran

We operate on a global scale, and ITU is one of the few places where you truly see this diversity. We educate the global community of telecoms on what is at the forefront of technology, what we are thinking about the evolution of the industry, but equally important is getting the feedback on the very different needs between different markets. It is important to us to understand their requirements and make sure that what we do helps them solve some of their urgent problems. Hossein Moiin, Chief Technology Officer, Nokia

We should use these events to network and to familiarise ourselves with other opportunities, to get to know and benefit from the experiences of others, and to engage for mutual benefit. Dr. A.R. Sharafat, Senior Advisor, MCIT, Iran

This is a very good platform for all stakeholders to talk to each other and exchange ideas. This is now an ecosystem world, many partners together, and this is a very good platform for us to exchange ideas. Jianjun Zhou, Vice President, Carrier Business Group, Huawei

The network and connections you can build at an event like this are invaluable, from a business perspective, from an investor perspective, from a networking perspective. There is so much synergy that we can definitely strengthen partnerships. Matthias Brodner, Simplus Innovation, Global SME Award Best Business Model Winner, South Africa

It is important that even as a small nation we can showcase what we are doing and be able to learn from developed countries so we can bridge the digital gap. Ben Chitsonga Ben Chitsonga, Finanical Director, MACRA, Malawi

Bringing together conference sessions, networking and exhibition and associated with the very relevant themes brings a lot for industry like us, as well as the fact that we are capitalising on the insights of last year, building upon what we learnt last year and exchanging further best practices, it brings a lot of value. Marc Vancoppenolle, Global Head of Government Relations, Nokia

The benefits are immense, and we will continue to put a premium on attendance at this event as it is an important way of showcasing our achievements in this sector as well as getting ideas on how best we can move telecoms forward in our country. Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission

It is very important to attend events like ITU Telecom World. We attach great importance to attendance at this event to be able to learn from global best practices in a way and a manner that we can bring this to bear in our country to solve contentious problems. We can also learn from what policies other countries have in place which we think we can either implement in our country or modify to adopt to our country. We bring our SMEs, whose innovative ideas have attracted a lot of attention and generated a lot of interest. So the benefits are immense. Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission

ITU Telecom World gives me inspiration and insights each year. We get to see what other developed and innovative countries are applying in emerging technologies, and it is also a platform for all parties and stakeholders to discuss future development. Yang Hua, Secretary General, TDIA

The biggest take away for me is that we could see the evidence that the digital transformation of our lives is accelerating. The event is an opportunity for us to share our experience and learn from others’ experience, to network with companies in the private sector and with other organisations that share the goal of applying digital technologies to improve the lives of people. Dinh-Huy Banh, Chief of Enterprise Application Centre, United Nations

ITU Telecom is the very best platform for the stakeholders for future smart cities from different backgrounds to hold common visions and communicate freely. Idonae Lovetrue, CEO, Demiurge Technologies

It has been of great value, we have had so much good contact, so many follow ups that we have do here, for us the value has been tremendous. Henrik Moelgaard, VP Global Sales, Bluetown

My panel was a very fertile conversation, these are the kind of conversations that can happen here and we can move forward with better ideas.   Astrid Tuminez, Regional Director, Corporate, External and Legal Affairs, South East Asia, Microsoft

This is a real opportunity to come together as partners, share with each other what we are doing and create new opportunities for us to work together in the future. John Galvin, VP, Government & Education, Intel Corporation

It’s exciting to meet all the different stakeholders from different sectors - digital is impacting in so many different industries and fields that is good to bring us all together to look at the possible solutions. Lawrence Yanovitch, President, GSMA Foundation

The ITU is a leading light in setting international standards for evolving technologies and putting in place the rules of engagement for companies in mobile communications, so it is very important to have a presence here. David Harmon, VP, Huawei Global Government Affairs

The recognition that tech start-ups and young entrepreneurs are going to create the jobs and solutions and innovations of the future means being here at ITU Telecom World is critical. Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Minister, Ministry of Youth and ICT (MYICT), Rwanda

Receiving an award helped a lot for our business. We are a small venture company and receiving an award from ITU triggered a final decision from the top management of Nippon Express logistics company, so that after more than one year of discussion, they finally decided to use our technology for their business. So receiving the ITU Telecom World award gave us reputation, credibility and reliability for our company and our technology, so we really appreciate it. Hiroshi Tominaga, General Manager, Japan Battery Regeneration, Inc.

This event is very helpful for us to understand ICT trends all over the world and to keep and enhance better relationships with partners all over the world in networking with ICT.   Manabu Kahara, President, NTT Communications (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

This is very impressive, this is so well organized, this is a great, great, great conference, a great exhibition, a good chance to see how the service providers are making some of these decisions, what the regulators are doing in different regions - it’s fantastic . Peter Macaulay, President, FTTH Council Asia-Pacific

We are able to share the Kenyan experience, to showcase our innovations and compare what is happening globally, and have the opportunity to identify key collaborators that can work with the government to help develop the ICT agenda in Kenya. Sammy Itemere, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Kenya

The takeaways are seeing what are the best practices in other parts of the world, what innovations those countries are focused on, what new policies are coming into place as technology evolves, and ensuring that we are adopting those in our country as well. Funke Opeke, Chief Executive Officer, MainOne Cable

We in the UN community must reach out to diverse audiences, to understand and define collectively what the opportunities are, if we are going to deliver on our mandate of having impact where it is most needed, and that is what brings us to this type of forum. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

It is extremely important to come to this event, to see what actually happens in the rest of the world, to have a vision, to make contacts and re-establish relationships. Allyson Maynard Gibson, Minister of Legal Affairs, The Bahamas

We are facing the same challenges, looking for broadband connectivity and to avoid the digital divide, just the scale of the problem is so different, comparing for example what I am facing in Portugal to what the Indian regulator is facing. But our concerns are the same and we can learn from each other and this is amazing. Fatima Barros, Chair, ANACOM Board of Directors

I think it is a very important platform because it brings together a Forum, a place for regulators, officials and industry players to get together to share experiences and exchange views about ICT issues, and the exhibition is very important to showcase what is available and what is coming up in terms of trends for the ICT and telecom sector. Leong Keng Thai, Member of the Broadband commission, Deputy Chief Executive and Director General, Infocomm Development Authority, Singapore