The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Digital Skills Forum 2024 has kicked off in Manama, Bahrain.
The forum, which is being held from 17th September to 19th September, was inaugurated by Mohamed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications. The prestigious event provides both in-person and virtual sessions.
The three-day forum revolves around the theme “Developing Skills for Digital Transformation,” bringing together global leaders, policy makers, practitioners and experts from around the world to discuss on various topics such as digital skills development, policy frameworks, green and digital transition, skills for safe and secure adoption of digital technologies, industry insights on skills gaps and partnership engagement for collaborative efforts.
ITU Digital Skills Forum 2024 also witnessed the launch of the “Digital Transformation Capacity Development” initiative, collaboration between ITU, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the European Union (EU), with an emphasis on improving digital literacy and promoting a digitally competent global society.
Philip Marnick, Director-General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), highlighted the significance of this prestigious forum, praising Bahrain’s crucial role in fostering international efforts to bridge digital skills gaps.
The Director-General also emphasized the Kingdom’s active membership among the 193 ITU states, particularly in ensuring inclusive and meaningful connectivity to drive digital economic growth.
Bahrain’s Sixth National Telecommunications Plan (2023-2026) secured the United Nations’ 2024 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prize. This highlights the Kingdom’s commitment to achieving innovation in the telecommunications and IT sectors, which falls in line with the objectives of Bahrain Vision 2030 and the 2023-2026 ICT strategic plan.
