Doreen Bogdan-Martin re-elected ITU Secretary-General in Doha

Member States of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) today elected Ms. Doreen Bogdan Martin as ITU Secretary-General for a second four-year term, during the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26), currently being held in Doha.

Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin received 164 votes out of 173 votes for the participating Member States, exceeding the required majority of 83 votes in the first and final round of elections.

The new Secretary-General is scheduled to begin her new term on January 1, 2027, and will continue until the end of 2030.

During a press conference held after her election, Ms. Doreen Bogdan Martin expressed her gratitude to the Member States for renewing their confidence in her, stressing that she looks forward to continuing to work with her and strengthen partnerships, which will contribute to achieving more impactful results in the coming years.

Martin explained that her priorities over the next four years are to promote comprehensive digital connectivity, work to connect telecommunications services to about two billion people who are still out of touch, push the boundaries of safe and flexible innovation for all, and continue to develop ITU and transform it into a more flexible, effective and future-ready institution, stressing the importance of ensuring that digital connectivity is feasible, secure and affordable, and contributes to the empowerment of individuals and communities, stressing the need to achieve tangible results in this field.

Regarding the State of Qatar's hosting of the conference, the Secretary General expressed her happiness to be in Doha, appreciating the support of the State of Qatar for organizing this three-week event, which brings together representatives of 194 member states and participants from the private sector, pointing out that Qatar was a distinguished host of the conference, noting the efforts made by the President of the Conference in preparing for it over the years, and the contribution of these preparations in providing the appropriate conditions to achieve positive results and reach a clear strategic direction for the Union during the four years Next and beyond.

She added that the State of Qatar is one of the leading countries in the field of innovation and digital connectivity, and has achieved near-universal levels of connectivity, expressing her hope to continue benefiting from its leadership and contribution throughout the conference.

The State of Qatar, represented by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), will host the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 from 9 to 27 November, with the participation of Member States and representatives of the private sector.

The Plenipotentiary Conference is the highest policy-making body of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and meets every four years to define the strategic directions and general policies of the Organization, adopt its strategic and financial plans, elect its senior leadership and directors of its three Sector Bureaux, as well as elect members of the ITU Council and members of the Radio Regulations Board.

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