Señoras y señores, buenas noches, bona nit, good evening ladies and gentlemen.
En primer lugar, quisiera agradecer la invitación del GSMA para inaugurar nuevamente el Mobile World Congress —y esta es la 9ª edición a la que acudo. Es una de las grandes citas tecnológicas internacionales, sin duda la más destacada de occidente para las telecomunicaciones móviles. Pero lo que quiero resaltar –y lo hago con orgullo− es que desde 2006 tiene lugar en España, en esta querida ciudad de Barcelona.
Es siempre un honor ser anfitriones de la gran familia industrial que representa GSMA, y les agradecemos la confianza que depositan en nosotros de año en año. Y gracias por la especial apuesta de esta edición.
No es este tan solo un año más… Estamos a finales de junio, en verano, y han pasado dos años desde la última ocasión. El MWC fue, pronta y responsablemente, uno de los grandes eventos que antes se canceló ante la Covid-19 que nos golpeó el pasado año; y sí, aquí estamos, en Barcelona y en el “Mobile”.
No todo es como era, no estamos todos los que quisiéramos, aunque aspiramos a recuperar en el futuro esa presencia tan importante de participantes. Pero tras más de un año de pandemia, estar de nuevo con ustedes y darles la bienvenida a la XVª edición del MWC aquí en la Fira −que ya afronta una nueva ampliación− es una enorme alegría, y un gran estímulo para todos en un momento tan importante en el que poco a poco se está retomando la actividad en todos los ámbitos y encaramos con ánimo y esperanza la recuperación económica; aunque sin perder la prudencia y cautela necesarias todavía en esta fase de la pandemia global.
Este congreso mundial en Barcelona, el “Mobile”, se ha convertido, en sus más de 16 años de historia, en un espacio único en donde las principales empresas de base digital —las grandes empresas tecnológicas y fabricantes de la industria de las telecomunicaciones— muestran las últimas innovaciones relacionadas, no solo con la telefonía móvil y las comunicaciones inalámbricas, sino también con todo tipo de software y hardware, de nuevos productos y servicios.
Así como fue uno de los primeros eventos cancelados en Europa en el 2020 –algo triste pero necesario−, nos alegra que haya sido uno de los primeros en recuperar su formato presencial en 2021, aunque con un nuevo formato híbrido, semivirtual.
A través del Mobile, España renueva su compromiso con este ámbito empresarial de tan alto contenido tecnológico. Nuestro país representa un destino de verdadera garantía. Nos referimos a una oferta ferial, hotelera y a una conectividad internacional realmente relevantes; pero también a un vibrante ecosistema de emprendimiento de base tecnológica y a una clara vocación de nuestras empresas por la internacionalización, que no solo no ha remitido en esta crisis, sino que se ha intensificado, como ya empiezan a demostrar los datos disponibles para 2021.
El fet que estiguem avui aquí —en aquesta gran cita internacional— demostra també que el sector firal sap adaptar-se a les noves circumstàncies amb flexibilitat i visió de futur, estenent els formats híbrids. De tot això és bon exemple Catalunya i Barcelona. Una ciutat reconeguda internacionalment per la seva importància cultural, financera, comercial, turística i d’innovació; centre tecnològic del sud d’Europa. Una ciutat mediterrània, cosmopolita y autèntic motor de Catalunya.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are still undergoing a health crisis that has triggered an economic crisis and brought the world to a standstill. However, as it is well known, times of crisis can lead to times of opportunity.
In the new circumstances, the response given by science and technology has been extraordinary. Barely a year went by between the outbreak of the virus and the first vaccinations. Moreover, in less than two years, many countries will have achieved −as expected and as we all hope− immunity against an unknown virus.
"...nuestro país representa un destino de verdadera garantía. Nos referimos a una oferta ferial, hotelera y a una conectividad internacional realmente relevantes; pero también a un vibrante ecosistema de emprendimiento de base tecnológica y a una clara vocación de nuestras empresas por la internacionalización, que no solo no ha remitido en esta crisis, sino que se ha intensificado, como ya empiezan a demostrar los datos disponibles para 2021..."
The advances made in medical science and in mobile technology in this short period have enabled remote healthcare attention and recovery, by using monitoring and location technology that has hugely contributed to fight against the pandemic more successfully.
Thanks to the mobile phone industry, to the connectivity it ensured and maintained, the world actually “kept moving” when practically everything had come to a dramatic halt −tragic for so many. The scientists and technicians, the companies and public institutions, involved in keeping online services functioning and the supply of energy needed, undoubtedly deserve the gratitude of all of society.
They –“you”− helped save us, or eased our troubles in so many ways that it is not easy to fully describe in just a few words. However, just imagine how different (and so much worse!) things would have been without mobile technology. Imagine if Covid-19 would have hit us not that long ago, in the 90’s or even around the turn of the century −or millennia…
Therefore, today I would like to acknowledge publicly, and applaud –and thank−, the role played by mobile connectivity not only in the professional sphere, but also in the private sphere, helping and accompanying older people, people in hospital, and those who were alone, keeping them in touch with their families during lockdown.
During those difficult times, all of us realized and recognized our need to connect with others, and appreciated how easy and fast it was to do so −for many it was even a discovery. In the middle of last year’s worst moments, we actually had −in reach or “in our hands”− a very effective tool to both solve needs and feel that real hope in the future was restored.
“Connected Impact”, the motto of this year’s Congress, has numerous implications that are best summarized by the concept of “connectivity”, that is so highly and increasingly relevant to society today. There is no way around the fact −and the pandemic has proven this quite harshly− that in our lives we absolutely need to connect and feel connected in countless ways. This is why, over the next few days, you will be addressing and exploring topics as interesting and as pertinent to all of us, today and tomorrow, as Artificial Intelligence, 5G, Big Data and the Internet of Things, and how they are going to transform even more the way people live.
Throughout this week, all of you −organizations, consultants, entrepreneurs, investors and telecommunications operators− will have the opportunity to share your knowledge and experiences, to showcase the latest innovations, and to speak to the key players in the sector.
This year’s program features more than 600 speakers who are leaders from a wide range of industries, sectors and institutions. All affected, interested, dependent or influential in mobile tech and connectivity. Leaders, who run the business, take political decisions, regulate the playing field, or help set the spirit, the values and the intellectual forwardness… equally so important, in the fast-moving world we live in.
We are at a key point in time, one in which constructive debate between experts is as crucial as ever to identify the most suitable policies for a robust and sustainable economic recovery. It is time, too, to invest in our digital future. The impressive acceleration these past months of everything digital means that the sectors represented here are the ones to lead this transformation.
Digitalization is one of the core pillars of the EU’s Next Generation recovery plan, which encompasses significant investments in our entire business network.
And I believe Spain is well placed to embark on this process. Our country is a leader in the rollout of fiber-optic networks; the EU Commission has recently rated Spain’s efforts in the sphere of digitalization as being ahead of those that other large European countries have shown, and recognized our outstanding position in digital public services. Moreover, Spain has companies that are world leaders in the sphere of telecommunications and in other key strategic sectors for the future.
Currently, Spain is a European leader in 5G and cyber security; we have excellent professionals and creative talent, a highly promising cultural and audio-visual industry, a dynamic ecosystem of start-ups, cities and territories that feature as key hubs on the European innovation and digitalization map.
Let me add that Spain offers many other aspects that are relevant and attractive, such as a high degree of public safety or an attractive living environment for remote working. And Im sure most of you would agree that it is indeed a great place to visit, to enjoy and to work, for anyone who looks for a stable, flexible and dynamic society.
Nevertheless, due to this digital acceleration, we are experiencing here and across the entire world, it is urgent to address all aspects of the digital transition. We need to guarantee access to all members of society, to help all companies and industries catch-up −especially SME’s−, to ensure a significant and wide effort in R+D+I, and to offer digital capacity and skills in general for all our citizens, students, workface, midlife training and even elders…
I hope and trust these sessions will be highly rewarding and productive for all of you. Today, as always, we must join forces to recover economic growth as soon as possible. Growth in all sectors of the economy, in all spheres of activity: one that benefits society as a whole. ¡Enjoy Barcelona! Go Mobile World Congress.
Thank you very much. Moltes gràcies. Muchas gracias.