‏Adel Darwish

Adel Mohamed Darwish currently serves as the Regional Director of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the Arab States, covering 22 Arab countries and based in Cairo. He brings over 20 years of extensive experience in the telecommunications sector, spanning roles with telecom operators and regulators in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Darwish has also played an active role in international relations through his positions in numerous global organizations, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the European Union, the GSM Association (GSMA), the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the League of Arab States, the Arab Regulators Network (AREGNET), and the SAMENA Council, as well as several United Nations agencies.

Key Achievements:

• Leadership in Roaming Regulation: Chaired the GCC Roaming Working Group (2009-2020), where he successfully oversaw a substantial reduction in roaming charges across the region.
• International Representation: Held leading positions at major ITU conferences and beyond, widely recognized for his role in international projects and bilateral negotiations within and outside the Arab region.

Professional Vision:

Drawing on his expertise across both the public and private sectors, Darwish is committed to advancing the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) at the regional level, while further strengthening the ITU’s role in the Arab region through global coordination with other regions.

His vision focuses on building an information society powered by modern technologies, where ICT serves as a driver and accelerator of inclusive, sustainable social and economic growth. He emphasizes the necessity of harnessing emerging technologies-particularly artificial intelligence and its applications-as vital tools for the development of communities across all sectors, both locally and internationally.