Havana, 13 March 2025.- The World Youth Summit of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) concluded in Cuba, after days of intense debates and proposals under the slogan "Amplifying the voices of young people in ICTs for an inclusive and connected future".
The event brought together around 400 participants from 31 countries, including representatives of governments, regional organizations, businesses, academia, UN agencies and ITU's Generation Connect Youth Envoys.
Among the prominent voices was the young Edlawit Loulseged, GCYE Africa representative for Ethiopia, who advocated for concrete actions to promote connectivity and youth empowerment in the digital sphere. During his speech, he emphasized the need to:
♦️Foster public-private partnerships and multi-stakeholder approaches to expand affordable connectivity solutions and infrastructure, especially in underserved areas.
♦️Promote the use of technologies for digital education and job search.
♦️Promote youth entrepreneurship and digital innovation as drivers of youth employment.
♦️Use technology to protect the environment, including green digitalization towards a sustainable future.
The meeting, organized by ITU and hosted by the Ministry of Communications of the Government of Cuba, aimed to give young people a voice to define priorities to ensure that information and communication technologies (ICTs) are safe, affordable and accessible to all.
The participants, young people between 18 and 25 years old, agreed on the urgency of moving towards a more connected, inclusive and equitable world through ICTs, reaffirming their commitment to technological development that responds to the global challenges of today and the future.
(EmbaCuba-Etiopía)