CTO news

News from the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Date: Friday October 25, 2024 

The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) hosted a side event to raise awareness of the  need for accelerating digital transformation in the Commonwealth and to present its latest Research Report: Digital Transformation: Critical success factors and challenges in the Commonwealth at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Samoa from 21-26 October, 2024.  

H.E Hon Afioga Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Samoa and First Vice Chair of the CTO delivered the welcome address noting the immense promise of digital transformation in all sectors, including government service delivery. He stressed the need for holistic approaches, commitment, strategic planning and investment in technology. The core of his address focussed on the critical success factors for digital transformation. 

The Secretary General explained the accelerants for digital transformation to an audience of Commonwealth members, government ministers, ICT industry leaders, public-sector officials, network operators and regulators. This was followed by a panel discussion with representatives of Viasat, SpaceX, Vodafone, and the University of Samoa  that explored the possibilities for accelerated digital transformation and the challenges in realising the goal. 

The CTO’s report, aimed at government leaders seeking to implement digital transformation programmes, featured the cases of 5 Commonwealth countries Bangladesh, Ghana, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Trinidad and Tobago, providing insight into the potential benefits of digitalisation in government. The study considered the journeys and achievements of the countries and the challenges, and factors that contributed to success.  

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Solomon Islands, the former Prime Minister of Samoa Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi  and the Chief Executive Officer of the Office of the Regulator in Samoa Mrs Lematua Gisa Fuatai Purcell were also in attendance. 

For further information, please contact Ms Dineil Ignatius, Communications Officer, at dineil.iganatius@cto.int or visit www.cto.int