Digital policy fragmentation poses a serious risk to innovation, investment, and inclusive growth, the heads of two major international organizations said at MWC26 in Barcelona on March 3, 2026. ITU Secretary General Doreen Bogdan-Martin and OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann both called for stronger global cooperation amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Digital Policy Fragmentation Must End, ITU Chief Says
Bogdan-Martin urged a shift away from fragmented thinking, calling for a “whole of government, whole of free institutions approach” to telecommunications and digital governance. She pointed to 2.2 billion people still without internet access, stressing that collaboration is “absolutely fundamental” to closing the digital divide.
“We’ve got to stop thinking about this in terms of fragmentation.”
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary General, ITU
OECD Frames Connectivity as Core Economic Infrastructure
Cormann described digital connectivity as “core economic infrastructure,” comparable to transport or financial systems. He said resilience must be built “by design” into digital networks. Fibre now accounts for nearly half of all fixed broadband lines across OECD markets, and mobile data use has almost tripled in the same region.
However, Cormann noted that significant divides persist “both between countries and within countries,” with rural and disadvantaged regions remaining particularly underserved. He warned that divergent national regulations could raise costs and deter investment without delivering meaningful security improvements.
“There are existing divides, both between countries and within countries.”
Mathias Cormann, Secretary General, OECD
Standards and Interoperability Key to Building Trust
Bogdan-Martin stressed the importance of technical foundations, including interoperability and global benchmarks. She said that “with standards, we can actually build trust,” and that governments must “put people at the centre” of digital policy. High-speed connectivity everywhere, she argued, is essential for digitalisation to “support cohesion, rather than deepen pre-existing divides.”
She also called for a move from static governance models to adaptive ones, particularly as artificial intelligence accelerates the pace of change across industries. Skilling and capacity development, she added, will be “critical” as AI simultaneously disrupts and creates employment opportunities.
No Single Fix for a Complex Challenge
When asked to name a single priority, Cormann rejected the notion of a “magic bullet,” insisting that addressing the digital divide requires a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach. “We’ve got to do it all,” he stated. Both leaders agreed that ensuring broadband infrastructure reaches underserved populations remains a shared global responsibility.
The statements came during a high-level session at MWC26, the annual mobile industry gathering held in Barcelona. The event brings together policymakers, industry executives, and technology leaders from around the world to discuss the future of connectivity and digital transformation.