On January 13, 2026, the first informal interregional preparatory meeting for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (PP-26) —scheduled for November in Doha, Qatar— was held in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting was convened on the sidelines of the ongoing ITU Council Working Group and Expert Group sessions.

The meeting was attended by authorized representatives of the six principal regional telecommunication organizations (RTOs) within the ITU.

It was chaired by H.E. Ahmad Abdullah AlMuslemani, President of Qatar's Communications Regulatory Authority, who will serve as the Chairman of PP-26.

The meeting focused on:

• The progress of Qatar's preparations for PP-26, including insights gained from its participation in the previous conference (PP-22) in Bucharest, Romania.

• Proposals for PP-26 preparations to be submitted to the ITU Council in April for decision. These concern the Union's Strategic and Financial Plan and ITU's financial and human resources.

• The structure and agenda of the upcoming Conference.

• The formation of candidate lists for leadership positions in the PP-26 working bodies.

• The appointment of regional coordinators for PP-26 thematic areas, youth, and women's issues.

• The preparatory work of ITU RTOs for the Conference.

During the discussions, Deputy Director General of the RCC Maria Bolshakova briefed the meeting on the upcoming sessions of RCC bodies that will form the framework for the Commonwealth's preparations for the Conference:

• April 8–10, 2026 – Astana, Kazakhstan: Meetings of the RCC Working Group on Cooperation with the ITU (WG-ITU) and the RCC Commission on the Coordination of International Cooperation (CIC).

• June 5, 2026 – St. Petersburg, Russia: Meeting of the RCC Board of Communications Administrations Heads.

• August–September 2026 – Kyrgyzstan: Meetings of the WG ITU and CIC.

• October 2026 – Tajikistan: Meeting of the RCC Board of Communications Administrations Heads.

The RCC coordinator for PP-26 preparations is RCC Director General Alexey Borodin, who also serves as Chairman of the WG ITU.

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