Context:
Fifth Global Standards Symposium (GSS-24) convened in New Delhi
Global Standards Symposium:
- Organized by – International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
- The focus was on the role of international standards in advancing emerging digital technologies and fostering sustainable development.
- Theme for GSS-24 – “Charting the Next Digital Wave: Emerging Technologies, Innovation, and International Standards”.
Key Highlights:
- Consensus-Based International Standards System – Emphasised on bridging the standardization gap between developed and developing countries.
- Initiatives like the ITU Bridging the Standardization Gap programme are crucial.
- International Standards for Sustainable Development – Encourages collaboration among Standards Development Organizations.
- Aims to help developing countries to embrace digital innovation.
- High-Level Segment Catalysing Changes – Recognizes the Global Digital Compact’s focus on international cooperation.
- Highlights the role of emerging digital technologies, including AI, in driving digital transformation.
- Standards and SDGs – Stresses the importance of international standards in sustainable development.
- Stressed on initiatives like #Standards4SDGs campaign.
- Celebrating Smart Cities – Acknowledges sustainable initiatives in cities.
- Reinforces commitment to the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative led by ITU, UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and UN-Habitat, promoting partnerships to achieve UN SDGs.
International Telecommunication Union:
- A specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for issues related to information and communication technologies (ICT).
- Established in 1865, ITU is one of the oldest international organisations.
- Functions –
- Setting global standards for telecommunications and ICT to ensure seamless communication across countries.
- Allocating radio frequencies and managing the global satellite orbits.
- Fostering international cooperation in the development and expansion of telecommunications infrastructure.
- Promoting access to ICTs in developing countries to bridge the digital divide.
- Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland.
- Members – Governments, private sector entities, and academic institutions from across the world.
- Currently, there are 194 member states
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
With reference to ‘Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD)’, consider the following statements:
1. The first APMCHUD was held in India in 2006 on the theme ‘Emerging Urban Forms — Policy Responses and Governance Structure’.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2017 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
Statement 1 and statement 2 are not correct: The first APMCHUD was held in India in 2006 on the theme, “A vision for sustainable urbanisation in the Asia-Pacific by 2020”, was aimed at galvanizing government action and political commitment at the regional level to improve the lives of 581 million slum dwellers. Subsequent conferences were held in Tehran, Iran (2008); Solo, Central Java, Indonesia (2010); Amman, Jordan (2012); Seoul, Republic of Korea (2014); New Delhi, India (2016).
