Global Regulators Chart Course for Resilient, Inclusive Digital Future

Emma Okonji

​​Telecommunications regulators from around the world have endorsed a new set of guidelines to navigate digital challenges and opportunities.

The new guidelines were endorsed at the Global Symposium for Regulators 2026 (GSR-26), organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Turkey.

The new guidelines tagged: “2026 Best Practice Guidelines: Regulatory Governance Essentials,” are set of digital regulation toolkits to address emerging technologies, infrastructure resilience, youth safety, disaster management and the persistent global digital divide.

The annual symposium issues guidelines to help regulators govern the complex digital market with clarity, evidence and coherence.

Speaking during the symposium, ITU Secretary-General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, said: “Regulators today must do more than oversee markets — they must shape the conditions for innovation, investment and meaningful connectivity. At GSR-26, regulators rose to the challenge of navigating these new, fast-moving digital frontiers with confidence, agility and trust.”

The regulatory guidelines endorsed at GSR-26 outline innovative approaches to advance evidence-based regulation, stronger cross-sector coordination, responsible experimentation, and regional and international cooperation.

In support of the guidelines, ITU also presented new tools to support sustainable digital development for all, which includes: Connectivity Planning Platform – for governments to plan, prioritize and accelerate the deployment of digital infrastructure; Global Economic Model and Study Tool – to help regulators assess the socio-economic impact of connectivity investments; Digital Readiness Framework – to evaluate the maturity of legal, policy and governance frameworks for digital transformation; and Regulatory Perspectives for Satellite Communications to Connect Underserved Communities – a report identifying mechanisms to leverage satellite technology for universal and meaningful connectivity, particularly for vulnerable populations and public facilities.

Chair of GSR-26 and President of Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, said: “The 2026 Best Practice Guidelines reflect our shared commitment to fostering resilient, inclusive and future-ready digital ecosystems. In a world shaped by rapid technological transformation, it is essential to have international cooperation, adaptive regulation and shared responsibility to ensure that digital innovation benefits all societies.”

Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, said: “GSR-26 has delivered vital guidance for regulators navigating the complexities of today’s digital landscape. The discussions held will allow regulators to address emerging challenges in a manner that is constructive, forward-looking and collaborative. I thank the government of Turkey for their generous support and partnership in making the symposium a platform for global progress.”

Since its inception in 2000, the Global Symposium for Regulators series has provided an annual platform to guide countries toward harmonised, forward-looking regulation in the rapidly evolving digital era.

Over 1,000 participants took part in the four-day GSR-26 event, including ministers, heads of regulatory authorities, industry leaders and other key digital stakeholders.