Doreen Bogdan-Martin of the United States has been elected to head the International Telecommunications Union. The agency known as the ITU works to set international standards for the use of electromagnetic signals for radio, internet and television communications.

Russia’s Rashid Ismailov was the only other candidate in a vote among the agency’s 193 member states. The election was held in Bucharest, Romania.

Bogdan-Martin has worked for the ITU for 29 years. She is the first woman to reach the position of secretary-general.

The job begins on January 1 and lasts for four years.

Universal connectivity is the idea of offering internet and communications technology to all people around the world.

Before the election, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asked voters to put “humanity’s progress” first, as 2.9 billion people do not have internet access.

American officials have been interested in the position. Experts said outgoing ITU leader Houlin Zhao of China, an official of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, was too close with Chinese leaders.

In addition, some observers see an American winning the position in an election against a Russian as a political statement from the U.N. about the war in Ukraine.

International observers have also been concerned about Russia’s use of the internet They accuse Russia of trying to disrupt elections and spying on people.

The US has also been criticized for similar actions. Former intelligence worker, Edward Snowden, said the U.S. uses technology to spy on civilians and government officials. Snowden now lives in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin officially gave him Russian citizenship this week, the Associated Press reported.

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