Biden Endorses Bogdan-Martin for ITU Secretary-General
President Joe Biden endorsed U.S.-backed ITU secretary-general candidate Doreen Bogdan-Martin Tuesday, spotlighting her contest against Russian nominee Rashid Ismailov less than two weeks before the vote at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Bucharest (see 2209190059). Bogdan-Martin “possesses the integrity, experience,…
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and vision necessary to transform the digital landscape,” Biden said in a statement: “She understands the importance of connecting every school to the Internet and making sure every student can access virtual learning, providing women and girls the digital tools they need to succeed, and extending the benefits of online health and educational resources.” It’s “hard to believe that in today’s digital world, 2.9 billion people globally have no access to the Internet and its many benefits,” he said: The next ITU secretary-general “will play an important role in making our digital future inclusive and accessible for everyone, especially in the developing world.” The U.S. Council for International Business also supported the candidacy. “By virtue of her current leadership of the ITU Development Bureau, we believe that Ms. Bogdan-Martin possesses both substantive knowledge and leadership skills that would make her a superb ITU Secretary General,” the group said. Headed into the conference, USCIB “opposes the ITU assuming a role in managing, coordinating, overseeing, or otherwise regulating the use of the Internet on grounds that this is beyond the ITU’s authority and expertise.”