The oldest agency in the United Nations family began with the telegraph

Background

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs).
It is made up of a membership of 194 Member States and more than 1000 companies, universities and international and regional organizations.
It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with regional offices on every continent.
ITU is the oldest agency in the UN family, connecting people for over 160 years.
It was established in 1865 to manage the first international telegraph networks, and its mandate later grew to cover voice telephony, radiocommunications and communications satellites.
Its work is organised in three sectors: Radiocommunication, Standardization and Development.
ITU Member States elected the Organization's top five officials during the 21st Plenipotentiary Conference.
Member States have set two strategic goals for the Union for 2024 to 2027: universal connectivity and sustainable digital transformation.