January 2026

New Year Message from Secretary General

The year 2025 was a landmark for APT, highlighted by the successful Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo and the unanimous adoption of the Tokyo Statement, endorsed at the highest political level, which set six strategic priorities for our region. Beyond this milestone, we also accomplished many achievements throughout the year, including our valuable contributions to the WTDC-25. These successes were made possible through the unwavering support and collaboration of our members and partners, to whom I extend my deepest gratitude.

As we enter 2026, our collective task is to translate these priorities into action. Guided by the Tokyo Statement, we will accelerate efforts to ensure universal and meaningful connectivity, empower communities with digital skills, and harness ICT for sustainable growth. We will also commence the drafting of the Strategic Plan of the APT for 2027–2029, which will chart our vision and direction for the years ahead.

I am confident that, with your continued dedication and collaboration, APT will make 2026 another year of meaningful progress and shared success.

Wishing you a prosperous, healthy, and inspiring New Year!

Masanori Kondo

Secretary General

Welcome New Affiliate Members

We are pleased to announce that the following organizations from the People’s Republic of China have joined the APT as our newest Affiliate Members, effective 1 January 2026.

· China Academy of Information and Communications Technology

· Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications

· Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co. Ltd.

Joining the APT means becoming part of a dynamic network that fosters collaboration, innovation, and the exchange of knowledge among governments, regulators, service providers, and industry leaders. Collectively, we will continue to drive progress and innovation in the Asia-Pacific telecommunications landscape.

We extend a warm welcome to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co. Ltd. to the Telecommunity.

Recent Events:

· The 49th Session of the Management Committee of the APT (MC-49)

Upcoming Events:

· The 2nd Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-2)

· APT Symposium on Digital Transformation and the Universal Service Fund

· The 3rd Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-3)

· The 36th Meeting of the APT Wireless Group (AWG-36)

Recent Events

The 49th Session of the Management Committee of the APT (MC-49):

9 - 12 December 2025, Bangkok, Thailand

The Management Committee of the APT (MC) meets annually to pursue the policies and principles of the General Assembly, supervise the Secretariat's function, review and approve work programmes, and annual budget.

The 49th Session of the Management Committee of the APT (MC-49) was held from 9 to 12 December 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand with physical attendance as well as virtual/online participation through Zoom meeting (i.e., hybrid meeting). MC-49 was hosted by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Kingdom of Thailand.

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MC-49 was attended by 151 (88 in-person) participants representing 30 Members, 2 Associate Members, 7 Affiliate Members, and 1 International Organization.

MC-49 was chaired by Mr. Sokharath Penh (Kingdom of Cambodia), and the Ad-Hoc Groups on Work Programme and on Budget were chaired by the Vice-Chairmen of the MC-49, Dr. Maria Myutel (Australia) and Mr. Alireza Darvishi (Islamic Republic of Iran), respectively.

The key outcomes of MC-49 are as follows:

· Reviewed the APT Work Programme activities and budget expenditure for the year 2025.

· Approved the APT Work Programme for the year 2026.

· Approved the APT Annual Budget for the year 2026.

· Approved the APT Guidelines on the Management of Fully Virtual Meetings and Physical Meetings with Remote Participation.

· Approved the establishment of a Correspondence Group for the APT Strategic Plan 2027–2029, including its Terms of Reference, Work Plan, and leadership, with the People’s Republic of China as Chair, and the Republic of India and Malaysia as Vice-Chairs.

· Approved the dissolution of the APT Yearbook Fund and the corresponding revisions to the APT Financial Regulations.

· Abrogated the Guidelines for the Use of the APT Yearbook Fund.

· Decided to convene the Preparatory Meeting for the 17th Session of the General Assembly of the APT (one day), the 17th Session of the General Assembly of the APT (two days), and the 50th Session of the Management Committee of the APT (three days), which will be from 13 (Sunday) to 18 (Friday) December 2026 consecutively.

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Upcoming Events

The 2nd Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-2)

28 - 29 January 2026, Fully Virtual Meeting

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) will convene the 2nd Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-2) from 28 to 29 January 2026 as a fully virtual meeting.

The APT PP26-2 is expected to conduct the following activities:

· To review outcomes of Council Working Groups and Expert Groups;

· To consider Issue Papers prepared by Working Groups of APT PP-26;

· To consider input contributions of APT members;

· To review outcomes of the preparatory process of ITU and other regional organizations for PP-26;

· To develop Preliminary APT Common Proposals, if any; and

· To develop APT views, if any.

APT Symposium on Digital Transformation and the Universal Service Fund

25 - 27 March 2026, Islamabad, Pakistan

The APT Symposium on Digital Transformation and the Universal Service Fund will be held from 25 to 27 March 2026 in Islamabad, Pakistan via physical meeting with remote participation modality. The event will be hosted jointly by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and the Universal Service Fund, Pakistan.

The objective of the symposium is to provide APT members with a platform to discuss and explore new technologies, policies, and financing models that will ensure that digital transformation becomes sustainable, inclusive and equitable for all in Asia-Pacific taking into account the roles of the Universal Service Fund (USF) in digital transformation. The symposium aims to encourage dialogue among high-level policy makers, regulators, and other stakeholders in the region on the following issues:

· highlight connectivity and inclusion gaps

· explore emerging technologies and innovative models

· discuss affordability and sustainable financing

· promote digital readiness and inclusive content ecosystems

· strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks

· foster regional collaboration and partnerships.

The Symposium will encourage dialogue among high-level policy makers, regulators and industry in the region on the issues above mentioned.

The 3rd Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-3)

30 March - 2 April 2026, Bangkok, Thailand

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) will organize the 3rd Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-3) from 30 March to 2 April 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand via physical meeting with remote participation modality. The Meeting will be hosted by the Office of The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of the Kingdom of Thailand.

The APT PP26-3 is expected to conduct the following activities:

· To consider the Input contributions of the APT members;

· To consider the Issue Papers prepared by the Working Groups of APT PP-26;

· To review the outcomes of the Council WGs and Expert Groups;

· To review the outcomes of the preparatory process of ITU and other regional organizations for PP-26;

· To develop the Preliminary APT Common Proposals, if any; and

· To develop the APT Views, if any.

The 36th Meeting of the APT Wireless Group (AWG-36)

6 - 10 April 2026, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) will organize the 36th Meeting of the APT Wireless Group (AWG-36) from 6 to 10 April 2026 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. The meeting will be hosted by the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry (AITI) of Brunei Darussalam. The Plenary Sessions will be conducted as physical meeting with remote participation and the Non-Plenary Sessions will be conducted as fully virtual modality.

AWG covers various aspects of wireless systems to meet the emerging digital convergence era in the Asia-Pacific region. It also assists in providing effective radiocommunication solutions and facilitating the transfer of technology and knowledge. In its 36th meeting, the AWG will continue to study the existing work items, report on the progress of studies and discuss the proposal of new work items as well as other relevant issues.