Regional Preparatory Meeting for wtdc-17 for the Americas (rpm-ams)

2.3 Innovation and partnership

Results achieved

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  An annual innovation track support during ITU Telecom in 2015 and 2016, where innovation dialogues were in forum sessions on various challenges facing innovation ecosystems.
  
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  An annual innovation track support during WSIS in 2015 and 2016, where with over 6 Innovation dialogues were organized in on ICT-centric innovation ecosystems the dialogues had attracted over 200 participants and served as knowledge and networking platforms for experts and non-experts on the challenges and opportunities for strengthening the innovation capacity of membership and addressing the need for an ITU-D innovation framework.
  

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  The framework and methodology for national reviews of ICT-centric innovation ecosystems was developed through a partnership between ITU, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
  
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  This framework was the subject of consultation and revision with membership at WSIS 2016 in Geneva with over 75 participants in three sessions.
  
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  The framework was also validated and revised at the ITU-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Innovation Dialogue at the OECD Ministerial Event on the Digital Economy, on 23 June 2016 in Cancun, Mexico, led by and interacted with 20 high-level global experts on innovation.
  

Innovation tools, processes which allow using ICT innovative driven processes and methods, have been developed for innovation to help scale results, e.g.:

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  An innovation platform (innovation.itu.int portal), which aims to promote knowledge sharing and communication between ICT-centric innovation ecosystem stakeholders.
  
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  A co-creation tool (cocreate.itu.int), which aims at facilitating co‐creation for membership. This has been used for several idea management generations within BDT, including recently in co-creating themes for WTDC and soliciting contributions from ITU-D Study Groups through a pilot process examining smart society.
  
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  A design thinking methodology (creativity process) has been developed around delivery of innovation dialogues, assessment, and development of digital innovation frameworks.
  

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  A brainstorming to retain and attract new ITU‐D membership in April 2015, Geneva, where 20 participants shared insights on challenges and opportunities ITU can leverage to grow membership.
  
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  A dialogue to enhancing participation of private sector in ITU‐D activities in May 2015, Geneva, where 18 people shared recommendations on strengthening the private sector work for ITU-D.
  
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  Presentation and introduction of co-create tool to enhancing ITU-D Study Groups, from December 2015 through February 2016 respectively, where 27 study group members joined the co-create tool activity.
  

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  The 3rd Private Sector CRO Meeting took place on 2 June 2014 as a pre-event of the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) in Manama, Bahrain, where over 20 participants discussed ways and means for ITU-D members to be more involved in the Development Sector’s work in partnership with the BDT (i.e. projects, joint initiatives, study groups) and potential topics to be considered under the 15th Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-15).
  
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  As part of the Pre-event programme of the GSR-15, the 4th CRO Meeting was held on 8 June 2015 in Libreville, Gabon and was attended by over 30 high-level officials. Consensus was reached, amongst other outcomes, on two main topics of interest (Achieving the optimal regulatory environment and Promoting market access and infrastructure) for further elaboration by CRO participants.
  
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  The 5th CRO Meeting took place on 11 October 2015 in Budapest, Hungary, as a pre-event of ITU Telecom. Approximately 15 delegates explored additional opportunities to exchange experiences with regulators and policy makers on areas of potential joint collaboration identified by the industry. Amongst the main outcomes, it was agreed to include a track for the private sector on the last day of 16th Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-16), in parallel to the regulators track.
  
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  The 6th CRO meeting was conducted in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on 11 May 2016 as a pre-event of GSR-16 where 20 participants reaffirmed the need for a selected portfolio of agreed proposals to be shared and piloted with interested regulators.
  
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  In addition, the Industry Leaders’ Debate was held on 14 May 2016, in parallel with the regulators’ track during the last day of GSR-16. The debate brought together over 30 participants from the private sector and debated the impact of open innovation and new business models on collaborative regulation and on the importance of regulatory key performance indicators.
  
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  The 7th CRO meeting will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 13 November 2016 as part of the pre-event of ITU Telecom and is expected to focus on concrete case studies and project proposals for future elaboration.
  

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  ITU-D Academia Network Meeting on 11 September 2015, as a side-event to the ITU-D Study Group 2, was held with approximately 50 participants who shared priorities and proposals including the development an ITU Journal and a Study on the impacts of ICTs for the socio-economic development.
  
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  Based on the aforementioned meeting, an Impact Study on ICTs for SDGs is being developed on new and innovative business development and job creation to accelerate the SDGs with important contributions from the academic sector as well as other stakeholders.
  
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  On 28-29 April 2014, the ITU Academy Event on Fostering Innovation and Partnerships in Human Capacity Building helped enhance the engagement of Academia in ITU. This event strengthened cooperation between the ITU Academy, Academia and other stakeholders from the private and public sectors and opened the door for further collaboration.
  

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   The funding partners’ database, which includes about 110 profiles of existing and potential partners from administrations, multi and bilateral agencies, development banks, foundations, and private-sector companies. 
  
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  The partnership agreements’ database, which includes more than 855 Agreements signed by BDT with various stakeholders.
  

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  The partnership opportunities website, which serves as preliminary information on BDT projects/initiatives for potential partners to consider and review, and as a guide for discussion prior to the development and submission of a more complete proposal.
  
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  The sponsorship opportunities website, which offers information on visibility opportunities to entities for promoting their brand and presenting their products around events organized by BDT.
  

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  42 new partnership agreements were signed in 2014; 68 in 2015; and 22 in 2016 (as of 30 November 2016).
  
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  13 new ITU‐D Sector Members, 1 Associate and 27 Academia joined in 2014; and 15 new ITU‐D Sector Members, 2 Associates and 26 Academia in 2015.