Telecommunications regulators from across the globe have endorsed a comprehensive set of guidelines to navigate digital challenges and opportunities at the Global Symposium for Regulators 2026 (GSR-26). The new guidelines, titled 2026 Best Practice Guidelines: Regulatory Governance Essentials, serve as a digital regulation toolkit addressing emerging technologies, infrastructure resilience, youth safety, disaster management, and the persistent global digital divide.
Organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and hosted this year in Türkiye, the annual symposium issues guidelines to help regulators govern the complex digital market with clarity, evidence, and coherence. ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin stated: “Regulators today must do more than oversee markets — they must shape the conditions for innovation, investment and meaningful connectivity. At GSR-26, regulators rose to the challenge of navigating these new, fast-moving digital frontiers with confidence, agility and trust.”
Innovative Approaches and New Tools
The regulatory guidelines endorsed at GSR-26 outline innovative approaches to advance evidence-based regulation, stronger cross-sector coordination, responsible experimentation, and regional and international cooperation. In support of the guidelines, ITU also presented new tools to support sustainable digital development for all:
- Connectivity Planning Platform – for governments to plan, prioritize, and accelerate the deployment of digital infrastructure.
- Global Economic Model and Study Tool – to help regulators assess the socio-economic impact of connectivity investments.
- Digital Readiness Framework – to evaluate the maturity of legal, policy, and governance frameworks for digital transformation.
Chair of GSR-26 and President of Türkiye’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, highlighted a report titled “Regulatory perspectives for satellite communications to connect underserved communities”, which identifies mechanisms to leverage satellite technology for universal and meaningful connectivity, particularly for vulnerable populations and public facilities.
Karagözoğlu remarked: “The 2026 Best Practice Guidelines reflect our shared commitment to fostering resilient, inclusive and future-ready digital ecosystems. In a world shaped by rapid technological transformation, it is essential to have international cooperation, adaptive regulation and shared responsibility to ensure that digital innovation benefits all societies.”
Platform for Global Progress
Since its inception in 2000, the Global Symposium for Regulators series has provided an annual platform to guide countries toward harmonized, forward-looking regulation in the rapidly evolving digital era. Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, said: “GSR-26 has delivered vital guidance for regulators navigating the complexities of today’s digital landscape. The discussions held will allow regulators to address emerging challenges in a manner that is constructive, forward-looking and collaborative. I thank the Government of Türkiye for their generous support and partnership in making this Symposium a platform for global progress.”
