The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has released new Best Practice Guidelines urging regulators worldwide to take on a broader role as digital ecosystem builders. The framework, launched at the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-25) in Riyadh, calls on policymakers to move beyond rule enforcement and actively shape markets to drive innovation, trust, and inclusive growth.
At the center of the guidelines are five priorities designed to help regulators align with the pace of digital transformation. These include:
1. Fostering innovation in regulatory approaches. Regulators are encouraged to adopt agile practices such as pilot projects, regulatory sandboxes, and horizon scanning to anticipate risks and opportunities in fast-moving digital markets.
2. Enhancing regulatory capacity. The guidelines call for stronger institutional mandates, greater investment in human and financial resources, and deeper cross-sector coordination to enable evidence-based decision-making.
3. Leveraging emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data, and IoT are highlighted as tools regulators can use to improve compliance monitoring, streamline oversight, and increase transparency with citizens.
4. Strengthening cross-border cooperation. As digital services expand across borders, the framework urges regulators to build common standards in areas such as spectrum, cybersecurity, AI governance, and data protection, emphasizing interoperability and open data.
5. Positioning regulation as a driver of growth. The guidelines stress that effective regulation can serve as a lever for responsible innovation, public trust, and socio-economic development, ensuring small businesses, local innovators, and underserved groups are not excluded from digital markets.
Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, said regulators can no longer limit themselves to oversight. “Regulators must now do more than manage change in telecom and ICT markets, they must actively shape resilient and inclusive digital ecosystems,” he said, describing the guidelines as a “timely and practical direction” for building future-ready digital economies.
H.E. Eng. Haitham Alohaly, Governor of Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space and Technology Commission and Chair of GSR-25, said the guidelines set out a global roadmap for regulatory evolution. “The guidelines signal a clear call to action: regulators must evolve into ecosystem builders capable of anchoring innovation while upholding public good amid accelerating technological shifts,” he said.
The ITU stressed that the framework is grounded in global consultation and informed by real-world experiences. For industry and investors, the guidelines suggest regulators will increasingly adopt forward-looking practices, creating more predictable, innovation-friendly environments while reinforcing international cooperation in digital governance.
