The Republic of Bulgaria presented its candidacy for membership in the Council of the International Telecommunication Union for the 2027–2030 term during the 2026 ITU Council session (28 April – 8 May 2026, Geneva)
08 May 2026 News
On 4 May 2026, a side event was held in Geneva to present the Republic of Bulgaria’s candidacy for re-election as a member of the Council of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the 2027–2030 term.
Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Mr. Dimitar Nedyalkov outlined Bulgaria’s priorities as a future member of the Council and emphasized the need for a strong, effective, and future-oriented International Telecommunication Union.
ITU Secretary-General Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, who also participated in the event, highlighted the Republic of Bulgaria’s contribution to the Union’s activities and Bulgaria’s hosting of all editions of the Regional Cybersecurity Forum for Europe.
The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Bulgaria in Geneva, Ambassador Angel Bandjov, emphasized the country’s long-standing participation in the organization. Bulgaria has been a member of the ITU since 1880, when it joined the International Telegraph Union, the predecessor of today’s Union.
The event brought together delegates from member states and observers to the Council, diplomats from permanent missions to the international organizations of the UN system in Geneva, experts in digital policy, representatives of the ITU leadership and its regional offices, as well as staff members of the organization.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and Chair of the ITU Council for 2026, also attended the event.
The elections for the new composition of the Council will take place during the next Plenipotentiary Conference, to be held from 9 to 27 November 2026 in Doha, Qatar. The supreme governing body of the ITU is the Plenipotentiary Conference, which convenes every four years. In the period between two conferences, the organization is governed by a Council whose members are elected by the Conference. Bulgaria has been a member of the ITU Council since 1989, with its membership interrupted only during the 2019–2022 period.
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