On April 21-22, the Regional Preparatory Meeting for the CIS Region for the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2021 will be held in virtual mode. The World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) meets every four years between the Plenipotentiary Conferences of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to consider topics, projects and programs related to telecommunication development. The WTDC defines the strategies and objectives for telecommunication / ICT development for the next four-year period. The next ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference, WTDC-21, is hosted by the Government of Ethiopia. The regional preparatory meeting will address the implementation of the four-year Action Plan of the previous WTDC-17 (including the implementation of regional initiatives) and the contribution made to the implementation of the Plan of Action of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), as well as the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Preparations for the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2021 will also be discussed, including the preparation of regional initiatives for the next four-year period. Two side events will take place on the sidelines of the RPM-CIS: a seminar on available ITU infrastructure planning tools and a special session dedicated to the International Day “Girls in ICT”, celebrated on 22 April. During the special session, a panel discussion will be held, which will discuss the possibilities of professional implementation of girls / women in the field of ICT and with the help of ICT, the experience of implementing real projects in the field of ICT by girls / women, the contribution of women to scientific research, the development of educational programs aimed at reaching digital technologies, the development of digital skills, professional development and other pressing issues. Natalya Mikhailovna GORDEENKO, Deputy Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus, will take part in this event. Source ITU website PrintPDF