WTDC-25 Baku Declaration sets priorities for universal and affordable connectivity
Adopted at the World Telecommunication Development Conference in Baku, the Baku Declaration outlines shared commitments by ITU Member States to expand universal, meaningful, and affordable connectivity. The text highlights persistent digital divides and calls for coordinated action between governments, industry, and civil society.
At the ninth World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-25), held in Baku from 17 to 28 November 2025, ITU member states endorsed the Baku Declaration on universal, meaningful and affordable connectivity for an inclusive and sustainable digital future. The declaration sets the political direction for global digital development efforts for the 2026–2029 period.
The document acknowledges progress in expanding access to information and communication technologies, while underlining that roughly one-third of the global population remains offline. It draws particular attention to persistent gaps affecting developing countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and Small Island Developing States, as well as rural and underserved communities.
Member States reaffirm that universal and meaningful connectivity goes beyond basic access. The declaration frames connectivity as affordable, high-quality, secure, multilingual, and resilient, supported by sustained investment in infrastructure, skills, and local capacity. It also links digital connectivity to broader goals such as climate resilience, disaster response, economic inclusion, and sustainable development.
For civil society, the Baku Declaration is relevant because it explicitly recognises the role of non-state actors in digital transformation. The text calls for multistakeholder collaboration involving governments, the private sector, academia, civil society, and the technical community. It also emphasises inclusion, affordability, digital skills, and human-centric approaches, all areas where civil society organisations are often directly engaged on the ground.
The declaration further highlights commitments to digital literacy, protection of vulnerable groups, and targeted support for communities most affected by digital exclusion. These priorities provide advocacy entry points for civil society to monitor implementation, influence national policies, and hold institutions accountable to the “leave no one behind” principle in digital development.
The Baku Declaration will be implemented alongside the WTDC-25 Action Plan, resolutions, and regional initiatives, shaping ITU-D’s work in the coming years.
Read more: The full text of the Baku Declaration adopted at WTDC-25 is available here.
