Seizo Onoe (right), Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and Martin Brynskov (left), OASC Standardisation Lead and Founding Board Director, at the signing ceremony in New Delhi, India, in the G20 Summit Room during the Global Standards Summit 2024.
New Delhi, 18 October 2024 – The United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Open & Agile Smart Cities & Communities (OASC) signed a cooperation agreement this week during the Global Standards Summit 2024 in New Delhi, India.
The agreement outlines a joint ambition to bring the view of cities and communities to the fast-developing world of emerging technologies in very practical and accessible terms.
Roland van der Heijden, OASC Council of Cities Coordinator, and Programme Manager Digital City at Municipality of Rotterdam, says:
“As the city of Rotterdam we strive for a fair, transparent and equal digital transformation for all. That means that we need special attention for topics such as digital inclusiveness, respect for privacy and public values, and standardisation of techniques to create a prosperous future for everyone. Trust and interoperability are key ingredients for such a future. By doing this together we can create trust, and with the help of organisations like OASC and ITU we can work on all the aspects of interoperability that are needed to support this digital transformation.”
As data and digital services become central to delivering a safe, inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous future for citizens, local administrations face severe challenges when procuring and maintaining digital systems. From planning to safety, optimising service delivery is key, and various technologies—such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, virtual worlds, and the Internet of Things—are touted as necessary next steps.
Because these digital technologies impact both the socio-economic and material reality in local communities globally, touching every person and place on the planet, OASC members and experts contribute to the development of relevant, practical and powerful standards for procurement and compliance worldwide in the 194 ITU member states.
Martin Brynskov, OASC Standards Lead and Founding Board Director, says:
“We need a common ground which all cities and communities regardless of size and resource can rely on when planning, procuring and regulating digital technologies. The newly approved ITU-T Y.4505 standard on Minimal Interoperability (MIMs) is an important step in this direction.”
The signing took place during the Global Standards Summit on World Standards Day in New Delhi, India, where more than 2000 delegates from 160 countries convened for the quadrennial World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA), co-located with the International AI Standards Summit and the India Mobile Congress (IMC).
ITU and OASC will be collaborating on both concrete pilot projects, events, capacity building and expert fora. Learn more about the work and how to both contribute and benefit from it by contacting Virginie Verstraete (virginie(at)oascities.org).
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The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs). With a membership of 194 countries and over 900 private-sector entities and academic institutions, ITU coordinates the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promotes international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, improves communication infrastructure in the developing world, and establishes the worldwide standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communications systems.
Open & Agile Smart Cities & Communities (OASC) is a global network of over 160 cities and communities from 35 countries, dedicated to improving the quality of life in urban areas through digital transformation and innovation. OASC supports communities in their efforts to become smarter and more sustainable by promoting open standards, interoperability, and collaboration among cities and communities worldwide.