The Plenipotentiary Conference of 1959 completed the process of integrating ITU into the United Nations system by assimilating the Union into the common system of working conditions, salaries, pensions, etc. It also decided that the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General should henceforth be elected directly by the Plenipotentiary Conference and not, as before, by the Administrative Council.

The Conference adopted Resolution No. 25 instructing the Union to provide, on request, technical assistance in the telecommunication field to developing countries. A provision was added to the Convnetion that included the development of telecommunications in developing countries as one of the basic purposes of the Union (Article 4). In connection with this decision, a Department of Technical Cooperation was created in 1960 within the ITU General Secretariat under the direct authority of the Secretary-General.