The United States candidate beats Russian rival at UN race
More than two years after the creation of the United Nations, the ITU reached an agreement with the agency to become a dedicated unit under its authority.
The U.S. representative served as itu director from 1960 to 1965, while the Soviet Union and Russia never had any.
The US candidate overtook his Russian rival in the vote to lead the UN’s International Telecommunication Union for a 4-year term.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the U.S. nominee, on September 29 defeated Russian representative Rashid Ismailov in the race to lead the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), after winning 139 of the 172 votes cast at the polls in Bucharest, Romania.
Bogdan-Martin, 56, became the first female leader of the ITU, which is based in the Swiss city of Geneva. Ms Bogdan-Martin served as head of the Telecommunications Development Authority of the ITU.
The results of the vote are considered an important indicator of the results of the West’s efforts to diplomatically isolate Russia at the United Nations, in the context that the determination of many countries to deal with Moscow is showing signs of decline after more than 7 months of fighting in Ukraine.
“I’ve been working for this moment for more than three decades,” Bogdan-Martin said after the vote results were announced, adding that she would maintain unity within the coalition and increase coordination to improve digital connectivity.
The ITU was founded in 1865, initially taking on the task of troubleshooting disruptions to the telegraph system in the border areas.
The agency now ensures international communications for businesses and citizens, and sets the standard for new technologies such as artificial intelligence.
