Geneva, 16 March 2016 – Media accreditation is now open for ITU’s annual Global Symposium for Regulators , the world’s pre-eminent gathering of the global ICT regulatory community.

Taking place from 11-14 May at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh at the invitation of the Government of Egypt, GSR-16 will welcome world-class speakers with a dynamic programme focused around the theme of ‘Be Empowered, Be Included: Building Blocks for Smart Societies in a Connected World’. The symposium will be chaired by Mostafa Abd El-Wahed, Acting Chairman of the National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Egypt (NTRA).

This year’s programme includes compelling discussions and debates around:

• Artificial intelligence, smart sensors & smart networks
• Digital financial inclusion – the challenges of bringing the unbanked online
• The regulatory road towards the ‘Internet of Things’ and M2M communications
• New digital platforms – empowering or enslaving?
• Privacy, trust and cybersecurity
• Strategies to encouraging digital entrepreneurship

Journalists are encouraged to accredit now to attend this globally-recognized symposium. Formal accreditation prior to the event is essential to gain access to the venue. Accreditation will close on Monday 9 May and there will be no accreditation onsite.