THE Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) signed a joint declaration with the Organization of American States (OAS) to accelerate digital transformation in the region.

The signing was done through the OAS’ Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL); the Latin American Telecommunications Regulators Forum (REGULATEL); and the Regional Telecommunications Technical Commission (COMTELCA), a specialised institution of the Central American Integration System (SICA).

CTU Secretary General Rodney Taylor said “the CTU strongly supports multilateral collaboration with inter-American agencies because it provides opportunities to explore areas of cooperation on matters of digital transformation and harmonised regulation policies, which are all critical to the region’s social and economic development.”

He added, “The CTU looks forward to strengthening collaboration and promoting the interests of the Caribbean among inter-American organisations. The region needs to learn from each other’s experiences, know what works within the context of small developing states and focus on the development of regional development as a key long-term objective.”

The signing took place at the International Telecommunication Union’s Plenipotentiary Conference 2022.

The declaration seeks to enable digital transformation in the Americas through the promotion of regulatory frameworks focused on user needs, with special attention being given to vulnerable groups, unserved/underserved areas, remote populations and people with disabilities.

The CTU said this collaboration will enable the union to develop special cooperative relationships to further accelerate its existing 21st-century government initiative, in which it supports and works with Caribbean governments to improve government services so that they are personalised and responsive thereby enhancing citizens’ end-to-end experience of public services.

Similarly, the CTU will promote and support actions to unleash the potential of digital transformation among its partner organisations.

Importantly, the joint declaration also establishes the framework for the parties to develop a harmonised telecommunication/ICT environment through the implementation of intelligent, harmonised regulation to promote the development of ICT services in the region.

The joint declaration therefore provides an additional layer of collaboration between regulatory bodies from the partner organisations and will support the Caricom Heads of Government recent mandate to establish a Caricom single ICT regulator.

According to Statista Research Department, as of January 2021, the Dutch territory of Aruba had the highest internet penetration rate in the Caribbean, with over 97 per cent of its population online.

As of that point in time, the sovereign state in the region with the highest percentage of citizens online was The Bahamas, with a rate of 85 per cent.

Meanwhile, around 37 per cent of Haiti’s population, and under 20 per cent of St Martin’s, were using the Internet. Also during this time, Chile had the highest social media reach within Latin America and the Caribbean.

Jamaica’s Internet penetration rate stood at 68.2 per cent of the total population at the start of 2022.