The Syrian Future Movement commemorates World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, observed annually on May 17th, with a high sense of national responsibility.
The Syrian Future Movement explains that this day was established internationally in 1969 to commemorate the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865 and the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The Syrian Future Movement also emphasizes that this day is based on core values, namely raising awareness of the potential offered by the internet and information and communication technologies to all societies, as well as ways to bridge the global digital divide.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the telecommunications sector in Syria is going through a critical phase and experiencing a sharp historical decline as a result of the accumulated effects of years of tyranny and the systematic destruction of infrastructure networks.
The Syrian Future Movement also follows with grave concern the recent international reports for 2026, particularly the Speedtest Global Index, which places Syria second to last globally (154th) with a very low average fixed internet speed of no more than 3.63 Mbps. The Syrian Future Movement points out that recent data from DataReportal confirms that internet penetration in the country has fallen to only 35.8%, meaning that more than 64% of the Syrian population remains digitally isolated and outside the “global digital community.”
Furthermore, the Syrian Future Movement deplores the low level of internet connectivity in the country, estimated by the Internet Society at only 29% to 31%, more than a year after liberation. This renders the digital infrastructure incapable of meeting citizens’ basic daily needs, in addition to the near-total collapse of the landline telephone network in rural areas and provinces.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that Syria is currently experiencing an exceptionally complex transitional phase, which necessitates a comprehensive and independent restructuring of the telecommunications sector, given its vital role in supporting education, development, and the emerging decentralized administration.
Therefore, the Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the need to cease using the telecommunications sector as a tool for extracting money from the pockets of economically exhausted citizens, or transforming it into investment hubs for corrupt figures and cronies, as was the case previously.
The Syrian Future Movement affirms that the upcoming national reconstruction will not be complete without the immediate transition from outdated copper systems to modern fiber optic networks and attracting genuine investments to enhance cybersecurity capabilities.
The Syrian Future Movement also calls upon transitional institutions and partner international organizations to place the “digital rescue” and early recovery of the telecommunications sector at the forefront of national priorities to ensure access to knowledge and the internet for every citizen as a fundamental human and constitutional right, not as a secondary, absent luxury.
