 I would like now to introduce our keynote speakers who will be giving us each a keynote speech and informing us more about those opportunities and challenges. And they are Mr. Houlin Zhao, who is ITU Secretary General, Mr. Dorian Bogdan-Martin, who is Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau, and Mr. Dan Sheblum, who is Chairman of GSR20. So thank you very much. So I will now hand the floor to Mr. Zhao, our first keynote speaker. Thank you. Okay. Good afternoon. Dear friends, welcome you to this course session of this 20th edition of GSR. And this GSR comes at a time when the law of ICT and telecommunication regulators and policy makers has taken center stage in the response to and recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. But I would also like to take this opportunity to present our collective efforts. And our moderator just mentioned that over the last 20 years, we had a lot of activities and he showed us the participants and those key experts to work together to debate on the market challenges. But I think that more than that, all of us worked very, very hard. I was there at the first edition of GSR in the year 2000. And I did not see my folks' photos there, but I saw some photos where I saw myself there. But over the last 20 years, no matter how hard the world suffered from financial crisis, natural crisis, and some kind of trade crisis, many, many crises. But still the world, you know, still, you know, we developed with ICT services and infrastructures marvelously available almost everywhere. That is the reason today we profit this marvelous achievement, just keeping in mind that nobody could imagine that in 2020 we suffer this kind of COVID-19 and everybody now is forced under this so-called confinement of COVID-19 and economic life is almost stopped or slowed down. But people can still survive and even make some kind of good progress. And with many ICT applications, people talk to each other, connect with each other. All this cannot be there without the wonderful work of our regulators over the last 20 years. So that I would like to take this opportunity to, you know, to express on behalf of IT management to our family of regulators for your wonderful work. Of course, we understand that there is not always, you know, excitement or happiness and you have suffered a lot. You have to work with the private sector and convince them to invest. You have to create a good environment to attract them and you have to work with your government to get the support from top, from your colleagues. Sometimes the frustrating and sometimes, you know, exciting, but I think that if you look at the current situation, you will be proud that our work deserved the world appreciation. So let me just add these few words to express my feelings at this moment, 20 years after we created the first edition of GSR in year 2000. It is not by accident that the ITU's initial response to the crisis focused on regulators and policy makers. Not only because for each crisis, we have to come to our regulators, but we have more reasons to come to you. So that, you know, we created in March the Global Network Residency Platform, a tool to help our membership address the unprecedented demand faced by communication networks. Since then, right for COVID has become a place where ICT regulators, policy makers and stakeholders from all over the world can share the best practices and lessons right. It is this split of collaboration that brings us all online here today. So collaboration and collaborative regulation has been steadily gaining momentum, reflecting a data-driven world where the line between the ICT sector and other sectors have become increasingly blurry. ITU has experienced this digital transformation firsthand for sure, with new players active in different sectors of the economy joining our organization in large numbers and becoming an integral part of our deliberations and discussions. So the challenge is that not everyone is sharing in this transformation far more far away from it. The latest data from ITU show that today's 3.6 billion people remain offline with much of the unconnected living in the least developed countries. We have statistics that in less developed countries, broadband connectivity is less than 20%. While the average is already so-called 54%. Now here we have another observation. 54, what does that mean? We get a lot of people connected, but if we look at the development phase, we know that over the last two years, this improvement by adding additional people online slowing down. And we still have 46% not connected yet. The other day, in the middle of John and Secretary General of United Nations, Mr. Guerrillas announced at the high-level panel on the digital transformation that he wished to see everybody be connected by 2030 with affordable prices. By 2030, we have 10 years to go. We have 10 years, we have to do a lot. But we have 10 years, if you calculate the progress we made over the last few years, if we take 2% per year, 46%, you need 23 years. So by 2030, can we achieve that goal? So this is really something quite a challenge. So building back better means making sure that we leave no one behind, no one offline. And hopefully by 2030. I also like to share with you my answer to these questions. At ITU Telecom 2019, people asked me some questions. Mr. Tso, can everybody be connected by 2030? I said, I'm afraid it may not be that easy. Because look at the security, an actual situation. Look at the issues. And if that was not that easy to the 19, with COVID-19 now, we may have more challenges. So when, as we look at to the recovery, investment needs in ICT infrastructure are in hundreds of billions of dollars. This is one of the conclusions of ITU's new connecting humanitarian study. As I told the G20 digital economy minister a little while ago, mobilizing such levels of funding will require the contributions and collaboration of both private and public sectors. And in particular, the investment from private sector is absolutely important. And approaching ICT investment with a new whole of government ICT investment strategy. So yesterday I joined UNIDO and James to have an interview. I put my famous four eyes, infrastructure investment and innovation and inclusiveness. So when I talked about infrastructure, people understand that. When I talked about investment, I could do this figure. I said, these figures are study figures. And when you come to the reality, you may have more challenges. And then the moderator took my word saying that, Secretary General, you mentioned that the money is very important. If you have no money, you cannot get development. I said, no, no, no, be careful. Money is absolutely important. But money is not the only thing. We needed to have innovative, good idea of infrastructure. And we also have to get good innovative ideas for how can we invest? We need to have a smart investment strategy. We needed to create a good environment to track the investment through that. Or I think that it's not that easy, but the end of that is the challenge. Too often, the various ministers in our government invest in ICT infrastructure without consulting with each other. In particular, may not even consulting with our ICT ministers and regulators. Because they get sponsorship from partners other than ICT industry or other than ICT authorities. And then they do their business with ICT to improve their system. So they may not necessarily come to our experts. That is, you know, costing sometimes duplications and resulting in significant inefficiencies and resource shortfalls. That is why I have encouraged the health and ICT ministers to work closely together when I joined their meeting of G20. Since the beginning of this crisis. As short ministers responsible for other sectors of our economies. So ladies and gentlemen, this crisis has demonstrated that ICT is a unifying threat that runs through all aspects of our societies and economies. And our approach to ICT investment must recognize and embrace this reality. So accelerating broadband development is formidable challenge and opportunity. In particular in those hard to reach areas with no internet access. Where topography and demography too often defeat market viability. Investors face many hundreds from high operational and maintenance costs to long cycles of return on investment. So over this year, I issued I2 circulator number three. Because during the Christmas period I could not stay calm after I met that questions that I2 telecom September in Hong Kong last year. So that I issue this circulator to our members, to our regular regulatory authorities, to sector members. Because I recognize that there is an opportunity for us. So we have to face these challenges and problems. But I believe the cost of not solving them will be even higher. So as the UN Secretary General, with the rest of the managers often, and particularly recently, only by working together, can we connect all people by 20th city. So the whole part of the world's economists have shifted to digital platforms. This will require regulators to work with investors, including operators to create the conditions for a better investment environment. But also require us to work with other ministries, with other government authorities to meet the needs and expectations of the unconnected with more credibility. But also with more safety, better digital skills and in power improved affordability. At stake is the ability of regulators and policy makers everywhere to unlock investment to support the growth, jobs and innovation. But also to save lives and the future relevance of ICT regulators in this increasingly connected world. I want to thank all those who have been instrumental in the enduring success of the global symposium for regulators. And particularly, you know, to my colleague, the director of PDT, Mr. Doreen Bogdan-Martin. The collective learnings of the past 20 years have prepared us to face the future with confidence. So I look forward to our discussions and this year's GSR based practice guidelines. And I wish you all a very successful GSR 20. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Mr. Jiao. I'd like to now hand the floor to Mr. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau for ITU. Doreen, the floor is yours. Thank you. Thank you very much, Max. And thank you, Secretary General, for those inspiring words. Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I'm really delighted to join you today to kick off the core program of GSR 20 sessions, which represents the culmination of an extensive program of consultative events beginning with the GSR leadership debate on the 30th of June. That the 20th anniversary of our global symposium for regulators should have fallen in a year of unprecedented global turmoil and disruption might be considered a misfortune. I would consider it auspicious. Auspicious because 20 years after 20 years of lobbying for the vital importance of digital networks to the development of our societies and our economies, we finally have the full attention of leaders around the world. The COVID crisis has thrown digital technologies sharply into the spotlight and we may never again benefit from the intense focus governments are now according to digital networks and services. COVID has brought with it the universal realization as we enter the post digital age. It's no longer just about technology. The ICT sector now underpins every other economic activity. In many countries, it's also the foundation for a host of essential social services and a vital driver of economic growth. Throughout the developing world, digital technologies can serve as a powerful transformational catalyst that overturns chronic development roadblocks and finally puts vital services like education, healthcare and access to information within reach of billions. Dear colleagues, they say that some have greatness thrust upon them. I believe the ICT regulatory community is at just such an inflection point because our work over the next few months and years will be absolutely instrumental in defining the new normal for a post COVID world. Looking back over the archives when we organize the very first GSR months after my first daughter was born, I was struck by the words of the then director of the BDT who said, if ICT sector reform is the key to bridging the digital divide then regulators are the architects of that bridge building project. I think that very vivid image has never been as pertinent as it is at this juncture. In the midst of the COVID crisis, with digital connectivity finally occupying its rightful place at the top of every nation's national agenda, your work as regulators and as policymakers has become absolutely critical. Getting the policy mix right to enable growth in networks and services has never mattered so much. Fifth generation collaborative ICT regulatory measures and tools are the new frontiers for regulators and policymakers as they work towards maximizing the opportunity afforded by digital transformation. Employing these measures and tools will help ensure that more people in more countries can reap the benefits of the digital economy, improving people's lives at a pace and scale never seen before. Ladies and gentlemen, as always over the next three days, we will be looking at some of the burning issues facing regulators in an ever more complex and interdependent ecosystem. We will have lightning sessions on a number of major developments and achievements, including the reg for COVID platform that we worked with so many of you over the past several months at the start of the COVID crisis. We'll also see the launch of our brand new digital regulation handbook and online platform, which is the fruit of a collaborative effort between ITU and the World Bank. We'll also hear as a secretary general about the forthcoming connecting humanity report that was developed in collaboration with Saudi Arabia in its role as this year's G20 president. And of course the outcomes of our heads of regulators executive round table that was just held our regional regulatory associations meeting that was held yesterday our industry meeting also held yesterday and all of the events over summer months that were held on a regional basis. Dear colleagues, I think we all agree that GSR discussions and debates have always been extremely compelling. But this year, they take on a new amplitude because much is going to be asked of us post crisis as government start to pick up the pieces and strive to build back better. Our ICT policy and regulatory frameworks will need to be fit for purpose. They will need to be up to date flexible, incentive based and market driven to support digital transformation across sectors and across geographical regions. In short, they will need to be up to one of the greatest challenges of our time, and that is to leverage the power of digital platforms and infrastructures to build the resilience that we need to protect us against future global emergencies. We must not miss our chance. We must unite. We must unite as the digital ecosystem and seize this unique opportunity to harness the unprecedented tide of political will and to put digital at the heart of our global recovery. And with that, I thank you very much. Thank you very much indeed, Doreen Bogdan-Marcin. Dan Sherblum, chairman of the 20th edition of GSR, the floor is yours. Your Excellencies, Honourable Ministers of ITU Member States, Secretary-General of the ITU, Mr. Hulind Zau, Director of Telecommunications Development Bureau, Mrs. Doreen Bogdan-Marcin, Elected Officials of the ITU, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and gentlemen, friends and colleagues, it is my very great pleasure to welcome you all to the Global Symposium for Regulators 2020. As the GSR celebrates this year's 20th edition, we are celebrating 20 years of changing regulatory frameworks, presenting an updated 20th anniversary edition of the ICT Regulation Handbook, as well as concrete guidance on steps that regulates can take to have meaningful connectivity for digital transformation. I think the importance of the GSR20 is clearly shown by the hundreds of delegates that have registered and signed up and are present at this time. It's very impressive to see the numbers. The GSR was, as you know, established, strengthened and stabilized regulatory frameworks across the globe to be a global meeting place where regulators and policymakers can discuss solutions to the very many challenges that continuously arise in the sector. And during the ongoing crisis of COVID-19, the importance of exclusive access to the internet for a range of vital issues such as health, education, economy has become evidently clear, clearer than ever. The challenges during the summer and before that spring with COVID has truly brought our community together. And I think we have the opportunity to continue to come together and use the new regulatory approaches to accelerate the inclusive growth of ICTs. We hope that the GSR20 will provide all of you with the opportunity to share experiences as well as to collaborate, identify evolving regulatory tools and approaches to bring affordable, safe, secure and trusted connectivity everywhere. Improving the access and use of digital technologies is now perhaps more than ever the key to the achievement of the global goals, be they fighting the pandemic or reaching other global goals such as the sustainable development goals. I look forward to fruitful discussions and listening to the full lineup of ICT regulates and policymakers that will speak over the next days. Ready to share lessons learned and help us all to provide better, more secure, more resilient ICT networks and services. It is really a pleasure to be part of the celebration of the 20th edition, including the launch of the digital regulation handbook and platform and the GSR leadership debate on how to build and grow after COVID. On behalf of the ITU, on behalf of my own organizations, which post on telecom authority and on behalf of BEREC, I sincerely hope that you all find the next three days productive and informative. It is together that we create the valuable GSR best practice guidelines and outcome document on the global symposium for regulators. And it is during the consultation of this document your ideas has been put forward. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to that process so much for your contributions. They are indeed very welcome and necessary. And finally, I should also take this opportunity to thank the ITU secretariat for the professional planning and hosting that they have made so far. And I look forward to continue to follow over the meeting at the first ever virtual global symposium for regulators that takes place at the same time everywhere. And very final word. Last but not least at all, thank you all for joining virtually. I wish you the best in the coming days. Be active and have a very good GSR. Thank you very much.