Hello everyone,

It is my great honour to address you at the World Internet of Things Convention 2024 in China.

At the IEC, we envision a future where clean energy powers the world, and everyone has access to affordable and sustainable electricity.  

This is a future where technology drives economic growth and improves lives. And effective communication between interconnected systems, information resources and services is for the benefit of people.

It's a future we call the all-electric and connected society. 

And we cannot fully realize this world and all its potential, without the Internet of Things.

By collecting data from sensors and monitors, for optimization purposes, an IoT infrastructure provides the backbone necessary to combine the digital and electrical worlds and make an all-electric society possible.

I am thrilled that as the IEC advances its mission, our vision is supported by the contributions of thousands of experts worldwide, including the distinguished authorities on IoT, present at this Convention.

IEC International Standards and conformity assessment lie at the very heart of ensuring the safety, reliability, and interoperability of IoT technologies.

The joint IEC and ISO committee on IoT, SC 41, makes standards for the Internet of Things and Digital Twin. This work is essential as it ensures that IoT devices, systems, and technologies across various sectors work safely and seamlessly together, fostering a more connected, efficient, and sustainable environment. 

These foundational standards promote interoperability by providing a shared language and design paradigm, enabling global experts and product developers to seamlessly integrate devices.

This is only possible if the appropriate cybersecurity, cloud computing  and nowadays artificial intelligence capabilities are also integrated in the IoT infrastructures. For all these technologies too, the IEC provides the leading international standards used across the world. It also offers a certification programme for the conformity assessment of industrial cybersecurity. 

Of course, the applications of this technology are widespread.

The SC 41, that I previously mentioned, guides other IEC and ISO technical committees developing standards for IoT and Digital Twin applications in sectors like smart manufacturing, cities, homes, and healthcare.

In transport, sensors help self-driving and connected vehicles to circulate safely. A series of IEC TC 47 standards specifies the general requirements of power interfaces for automotive vehicle sensors.

Well aware of the pressing environmental challenges our world faces, we are leveraging IoT technologies to help foster a more sustainable world.

IoT supports the energy transition and the deployment of renewables through smart grid applications. IoT enables the decentralization of power generation, transmission and distribution systems.

But IEC alone cannot connect the world; we need international cooperation and collaboration. IEC cooperates with other organizations like ITU as part of the World Standards Cooperation and is partnering with a number of organizations to enable progress through its projects.

To meet our common challenges and goals, we need to collaborate.

And for this we are counting on you –

on the many experts who make our vision possible, on industry leaders who work with the goal of pushing the boundaries of technology as a force for good, and on policymakers and governments to ensure their national IoT frameworks adhere to international quality and safety standards for the benefit of their citizens.

Together we are paving the way for a cleaner and highly interconnected all-electric society.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to the organizers for inviting me to be part of the World Internet of Things Convention 2024 and for their continued efforts in fostering global collaboration. 

Thank you, and I wish you all a stimulating and productive exchange of ideas.