Kathmandu: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, returned home on Sunday after addressing the WSIS+20 High-Level Event held in Geneva, Switzerland. The WSIS+20 is the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and spanned four days starting from July 7. Minister Gurung led the Nepali delegation, attending three discussions and four major sessions.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), one of the co-organizers of the Event, described the WSIS as an existing multistakeholder United Nations (UN) process on digital governance and cooperation. The summit aimed to foster people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information and knowledge societies. Discussions focused on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the use of IT and promoting human development by leveraging artificial intelligence. During the program, Minister Gurung shared his insights on global IT trends, their impacts, and potential benefits for Nepal.
Minister Gurung informed the global community about Nepal’s ongoing initiatives to bridge digital divides and accelerate IT development. This was outlined by Minister Gurung’s advisor, Dr. Shaligram Parajuli. A strategic bilateral meeting with ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin also took place, focusing on deepening ITU’s collaboration with Nepal, particularly in providing technical support for Nepal’s national satellite project.
Minister Gurung acknowledged ITU’s leadership in global digital transformation and expressed Nepal’s readiness to enhance digital infrastructure, AI, cybersecurity, and e-governance initiatives under the Digital Nepal Framework. The proposal included expanded cooperation in capacity building, rural broadband acceleration, smart regulation, and development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) models for Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
The ITU Secretary-General reaffirmed full support for Nepal’s digital journey. Minister Gurung extended an invitation to Madam Bogdan-Martin to visit Nepal and witness its growing digital ecosystem, which emphasizes inclusive, future-ready digital transformation through strategic ITU collaboration.
In addition, Minister Gurung held a bilateral meeting with Mdm Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information and Ministry of Health from Singapore. The dialogue focused on deepening digital cooperation between Nepal and Singapore in areas such as e-governance, cybersecurity, digital innovation, fintech, and green digital infrastructure. Minister Gurung also conveyed a formal invitation to the Prime Minister of Singapore for a high-level visit to Nepal, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations in the digital era.
Dr. Shaligram Parajuli shared that Minister Gurung also met with Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), ITU, to discuss strengthening ITU-Nepal cooperation in accelerating digital transformation. The focus was on inclusive connectivity, rural broadband expansion, digital public infrastructure, AI and cybersecurity capacity building, and technical support for Nepal’s satellite and orbital slot advancement.
Minister Gurung emphasized Nepal’s national priorities under the Digital Nepal Framework, including e-governance, 5G rollout, BPO-driven employment, and green digital development using clean energy. He commended BDT’s leadership in promoting development-focused digital equity and innovation, especially for LDCs and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). Dr. Zavazava reaffirmed ITU’s commitment to supporting Nepal’s digital journey through technical expertise, policy guidance, and capacity-building programs, underscoring Nepal’s aspiration to be a resilient and inclusive digital nation.