July 2026

APT Day: Marking Another Year of Regional Partnership and Progress

Every year on 1 July, the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) commemorates APT Day, marking the anniversary of the commencement of the APT Secretariat’s operations on 1 July 1979, following the establishment of its office at the General Post Office Headquarters on Charoen Krung Road in Bangkok.

Since its establishment, the APT has continued to serve as a platform for collaboration among its members and partners, fostering innovation, capacity building, policy dialogue, and the harmonious development of ICT for the benefit of the region.

As the APT commemorates this milestone, the Secretariat reaffirms its commitment to working closely with Members, Associate Members, Affiliate Members, and partners to further advance the shared objectives of the Telecommunity and contribute to an inclusive and sustainable digital future for the Asia-Pacific region.

Recent Events:

· The 4th Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-4)

Upcoming Events:

· The 23rd APT Telecommunication/ICT Development Forum (ADF-23)

· The 3rd Meeting of the APT Conference Preparatory Group for WRC-27 (APG27-3)

· The 19th APT Policy and Regulation Forum for Pacific (PRFP-19)

· The 5th Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-5)

· The 37th Meeting of the APT Wireless Group (AWG-37)

· The 26th APT Policy and Regulatory Forum (PRF-26)

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Recent Events

The 4th Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-4): 15 – 19 June 2026, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) organized the 4th Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-4) from 15 to 19 June 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia via physical meeting with remote participation modality. The meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Communications of Malaysia. APT PP26-4 was attended by 230 participants from 24 APT Members, 20 Affiliate Members and 4 International/Regional Organizations.

APT PP26-4 considered 53 Input Documents including the following:

Resolution 25	Strengthening the ITU regional presence
Resolution 30	Special measures for the least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition
Resolution 51	ITU staff participation in conferences of the Union
Resolution 70	Mainstreaming a gender perspective in ITU and promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls through telecommunications/ information and communication technologies
Resolution 71	Strategic plan for the Union for 2024-2027
Resolution 119	Methods to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Radio Regulations Board
Resolution 122	The evolving role of the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly
Resolution 130	Strengthening the role of ITU in building confidence and security in the use of information and communication technologies
Resolution 133	Role of administrations of Member States in the management of internationalized (multilingual) domain names
Resolution 136	Use of telecommunications/information and communication technologies for humanitarian assistance and for monitoring and management in emergency and disaster situations, including health-related emergencies, for early warning, prevention, mitigation and relief
Resolution 139	Use of telecommunications/ information and communication technologies to bridge the digital divide and build an inclusive information society
Resolution 175	Telecommunication/information and communication technology accessibility for persons with disabilities and persons with specific needs
Resolution 179	ITU’s role in child online protection
Resolution 180	Promoting deployment of Internet Protocol version 6
Resolution 182	Role of telecommunications/ information and communication technologies in regard to climate change and the protection of the environment
Resolution 186	Strengthening the role of ITU with regard to transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities
Resolution 191	Strategy for the coordination of efforts among the three Sectors of the Union
Resolution 197	Facilitating the Internet of Things and smart sustainable cities and communities
Resolution 198	Empowerment of youth through telecommunication/information and communication technology
Resolution 203	Connectivity to broadband networks
Resolution 214	Artificial intelligence technologies and telecommunications/ information and communication technologies
Resolution 218	ITU's role in the implementation of the "Space2030" Agenda: space as a driver of sustainable development, and its follow-up and review process
Resolution 219	Sustainability of the radio-frequency spectrum and associated satellite-orbit resources used by space services
Proposal for new Resolution	Enhancing transparency in the financial management of the ITU
Proposal for new Resolution	Promoting the rational, efficient, equitable and sustainable utilization of radio frequencies in lunar exploration, development and utilization
Proposal for new Resolution	Strengthening orbit coordination associated with radio frequencies in the coordination of LEO constellation satellite networks/systems to further promote the fair, rational and efficient use of space spectrum and orbit resources
	Proposed update to the Rules of Procedures of the Council relating to the obligations and authorities of Member States, who are not Member of the Council

During the meeting, representatives from ITU, CEPT, CITEL, and RCC provided comprehensive updates on their respective PP-26 preparatory activities. The APT Secretariat also presented an overview of the region’s preparations and ongoing coordination efforts toward PP-26.

Substantive discussions were conducted across the Working Groups and their associated spin-off Groups. As a result of these deliberations, APT PP26-4 developed 13 Preliminary APT Common Proposals (PACPs) relating to modifications of Resolutions 30, 70, 122, 136, 175, 177, 179, 186, 191, 197, 198, and 203, as well as a proposed new Resolution on Enhancing Transparency in the Financial Management of the ITU.

In addition, the meeting developed Candidate Draft PACPs on Resolutions 51, 71, 139, 140, 182, 196, and 218, which will continue to be refined and considered at the final preparatory meeting.

This meeting also provided an opportunity for APT members to engage directly with candidates for elected official positions of the ITU. These exchanges have enabled members to gain a better understanding of the candidates’ visions and priorities.

The outcomes of APT PP26-4 represent significant progress in developing coordinated regional positions and advancing consensus-building within the Asia-Pacific region ahead of PP-26.

Next Meeting

The 5th Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-5) is scheduled to take place from 24 to 28 August 2026 in Brisbane, Australia via physical meeting with remote participation modality (https://apt.int/Meeting/2026-PP26-5). The meeting will be hosted by the Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.

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Upcoming Events

The 23rd APT Telecommunication/ICT Development Forum (ADF-23)

14 - 15 July 2026, Bangkok, Thailand

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) will organize the 23rd APT Telecommunication/ICT Development Forum (ADF-23) from 14 to 15 July 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand as a physical meeting with remote participation modality. ADF-23 will be co-hosted by the Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of Thailand.

ADF-23 will consist of the following:

1) Thematic Sessions: The thematic sessions will address emerging priorities across three strategic pillars that include Digital Connectivity, Digital Transformation, and Trust and Safety, covering topics such as national broadband strategies, AI-ready infrastructure, data sovereignty, AI governance frameworks, digital safety, and ICT resilience for disaster response. The sessions are designed to facilitate open dialogue, the exchange of national experiences and best practices among governments, regulators, international organizations, and industry representatives.

2) Sessions for EBCs: ADF-23 will also feature dedicated sessions showcasing the outcomes and achievements of ICT pilot projects implemented through Extra-Budgetary Contributions (EBCs) from Japan (EBC-J), the Republic of Korea (EBC-K), and the People’s Republic of China (EBC-C), along with an introductory session on the EBC project framework to encourage broader participation among APT Members. The Forum will also include a simple project showcase, where EBC project teams may present their work through posters and share their project outcomes with participants.

ADF-23 will be held back-to-back with the ITU Regional Development Forum for Asia-Pacific (RDF-ASP-26) scheduled for 16-17 July 2026 at the same venue to enhance synergies and facilitate broader participation.

The 3rd Meeting of the APT Conference Preparatory Group for WRC-27 (APG27-3)

27 - 31 July 2026, Sapporo, Japan

The 3rd Meeting of the APT Conference Preparatory Group for WRC-27 (APG27-3) will be held from 27 to 31 July 2026 in Sapporo, Japan. The meeting will be organized by the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) and hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan as a physical meeting with remote participation modality. Remote participation will be arranged through Zoom meeting platform.

APG27-3 will be preceded by the ‘Training Course on Preparing for International Conferences: APG/WRC’ which will be held physically from 22 to 24 July 2026 at the same venue. The training course aims to provide an opportunity for the young generation who are new to international conferences to understand the international decision-making process including how to make presentations and coordination. This year, the event will focus on understanding of the structure and the decision-making process of APG and WRC. Please visit APT website at https://apt.int/apt/2026-TCPIC-APG for more information on the training course.

The 19th APT Policy and Regulation Forum for Pacific (PRFP-19)

4 - 6 August 2026, Funafuti, Tuvalu

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) will organize the 19th APT Policy and Regulation Forum for Pacific (PRFP-19) from 4 to 6 August 2026 in Funafuti, Tuvalu as a physical meeting with remote participation modality. The forum will be hosted by the Ministry of Transport, Energy, Communications and Innovation, Tuvalu and supported by the contributions from Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, Australia and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan.

The programme will include a roundtable on advancing digital transformation through strategic regulatory and policy interventions, followed by a session on the management and protection of undersea cables. It will also feature a business dialogue on leveraging connectivity to enhance competitiveness through innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as discussions on emergency communications and people-centered digital services in Pacific countries. Dedicated sessions will address contemporary issues, including resilient connectivity, digital government, infrastructure investments (satellite and/or submarine cable), focusing on the specific aspects of the Pacific region.

The 5th Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-5)

24 - 28 August 2026, Brisbane, Australia

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) will organize the 5th Meeting of the APT Preparatory Group for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (APT PP26-5) from 24 to 28 August 2026 in Brisbane, Australia via physical meeting with remote participation modality. The Meeting will be hosted by the Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.

The APT PP26-5 is expected to conduct the following activities:

· To consider the Input contributions of the APT members;

· To review the outcomes of the Council, Working Groups 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;

· To develop the APT views, if any;

· To consider the nominations of office bearers for PP-26;

· To develop necessary procedures and arrangements for APT coordination meetings; and

· To organize special sessions for the candidates running for the elected official positions of the ITU.

The 37th Meeting of the APT Wireless Group (AWG-37)

7 - 11 September 2026, Dhaka, Bangladesh

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) will organize the 37th Meeting of the APT Wireless Group (AWG-37) from 7 to 11 September 2026 in Dhaka, People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The Plenary Sessions will be conducted as Physical Meeting with Remote Participation, and the Non-Plenary Sessions will be conducted as Fully Virtual modality. The meeting will be hosted by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

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 37th 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.

In addition, to provide a comprehensive overview and to facilitate the updating of APT Member’s information in the APT Frequency Information System (AFIS), a training session will be conducted in physical mode from 5 to 6 September 2026, back-to-back with AWG-37. APT would also like to encourage the in-person participation of relevant officials from APT Members in this training session.

The 26th APT Policy and Regulatory Forum (PRF-26)

15 - 17 September 2026, Paro, Bhutan

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) will organize the 26th APT Policy and Regulatory Forum (PRF-26) from 15 to 17 September 2026 in Paro, Bhutan as a physical meeting with remote participation modality. The Forum will be hosted by the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) of Bhutan.

PRF-26 will consist of the following special features:

· High-Level Dialogue: A session among Ministers, Vice Ministers and high-level officials to reaffirm their commitment to the Tokyo Statement and exchange views on national strategies, policy frameworks, and regional cooperation to advance digital transformation.

· Regulators’ Roundtable: A roundtable among the Heads of the Regulators to share their experiences and express their views on shaping policies and regulatory approaches that strike a balance between enabling innovation and ensuring appropriate regulation.

· Business Dialogue: A session to provide a platform for industry stakeholders to exchange experiences, discuss emerging trends and challenges, identify investment opportunities, and strengthen partnerships for sustainable digital transformation.

PRF-26 will also include the following specific thematic sessions:

· Digital infrastructure as the engine of digital transformation

· Promoting connectivity for all – Expanding network access, last-mile connectivity, spectrum policy and harmonized use of spectrum

· Regulating next generation – Policy challenges in 6G era

· Inclusiveness and digital empowerment – Breaking the barriers for inclusion

· Strategy for online safety and data protection - Cybersecurity workforce development as priority

Other Upcoming Events in 2026
Title	Date	Venue
1. The 2nd Meeting of the Correspondence Group for the Strategic Plan of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity for 2027 – 2029 (CGSP-2)	21-23 Sep	Virtual
2. The 27th Meeting of South Asian Telecommunication Regulators’ Council (SATRC-27)	20-22 Oct	Colombo, Sri Lanka