Russia and the United States were competing to lead the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a UN agency little known to the general public but with a crucial role for modern communications, from satellites to 5G.

Founded in Paris in 1865 under the name of International Telegraphic Union, the organization - integrated into the bosom of the United Nations since 1949 - bears its current name since 1932.

"Today, we have written history, after 157 years we have broken the glass ceiling", Ms Bogdan-Martin told the representatives of the Member States after the secret ballot which took place in Bucharest.

“I hope this result inspires women and girls everywhere to dream big and make those dreams come true!” she tweeted.

The result was also a test of Russia's influence at the United Nations, seven months after its invasion of Ukraine.

The American, who is currently the head of development of the organization, was opposed to the former Russian Deputy Minister of Telecommunications, Rashid Ismailov, and current director of the Russian telecommunications company VimpelCom.

Ms. Bogdan-Martin will take over from China's Houlin Zhao, who will complete his second term on December 31.

The UIT establishes the world standards as well for the mobile telephones as television or Internet.

"This election is a top priority for the United States," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in his letter appointing Ms. Bogdan-Martin.

This competition between the United States and Russia was not directly linked to the war in Ukraine.

But the invasion, which brings the opprobrium of the West to Russia, was on everyone's mind.

After her election, the American gave a speech of unity.

"Our success depends on the union of our efforts. The IUT is a union, a union of its members (...). And together we are united, we are united by our hope and by our conviction that we can work collectively to make a better connected world”, she assured.

According to a Western diplomat, she should bring "a very different style of leadership to the ITU".

Balance of forces

Leadership positions in the UN are always a checks and balances exercise.

The meeting held in Bucharest, from September 26 to October 14, is the major event of the agency's four-year calendar.

The ITU - one of the oldest agencies of the UN - was created to manage the international telegraph networks, but has widened its scope as technological developments such as the telephone, radio, television, satellites, mobile phones and internet.

It brings together 193 Member States as well as some 900 companies, universities and international and regional organisations.

"Every time you make a phone call via mobile, access the internet or send an e-mail, you benefit from the work of ITU", proclaims the organization.

"Universal access by 2030"

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, who is fluent in French and Spanish, joined the ITU Development Office in 1993 and became its Director in 2019.

His argument is to connect more of the world to the internet and to advance broadband access.

"Growing up in New Jersey, you might not be surprised to learn that I'm a big fan of Bruce Springsteen. In one of his songs, Bruce says, 'Talk about a dream. Try to make it real' Universal connectivity has been a dream for far too many years,” she said Thursday.

In her program, the American had stressed the importance of having "an ITU that offers universal access to the Internet, which is secure, inclusive and at a reasonable cost, by 2030", and the need to provide "universal connectivity underpinned by resilient and secure networks for the 3.7 billion people who are still unconnected".

US President Joe Biden said on September 20 that Ms Bogdan-Martin had "the integrity, experience and vision to transform the digital landscape".

© 2022 AFP