Page 85 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

REGULATORY NEWS

The UAE Chairs the First Arab Preparatory Meeting for the ITU’s World

Telecommunication Development Conference

The Arab Working Group first
Preparatory Meeting for the ITU’s World
Telecommunication Development
Conference (WTDC), headed by the UAE
represented by the Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority (TRA), concluded
its activities. The meeting was organized
by the ICT Development Department -
General Secretariat of the League of the
Arab States, from 25 - 27 August 2020.
The meeting discussed the topics and
priorities of the region, including the
strategic plan for the development sector,
the final statement, and the various
decisions and recommendations. All
other regions, the Asia-Pacific Group, the
African Group, the American Group, the
European Group, and the Commonwealth
of Independent States have participated in
the virtual meeting. The meeting aimed to
identify the views and proposals of other at this difficult time. He added: “Arab action, where we were united, worked as
regional groups and their preparations countries played a major role in establishing a team and achieved significant gains,
for WTDC, in addition to introducing the and supporting the Telecommunication which had major impact on strengthening
Arab proposals to the other regional Development Sector. Since its the Arab voice and influence in the ITU
groups. Over the course of three days, the establishment in 1989, Arab countries and the ICT sector at the global level.”
participants discussed the proposals of have obtained the position of director of The meeting's agenda included a review
Arab countries on participation in WTDC, the development sector twice, and the Arab of the report and recommendations
including the Arab interests, enhancing region hosted the WTDC in 2006 in Doha related to the participation of the Arab
effective participation in the team’s and 2014 in Dubai. The Arab group had an Group in WTDC-17, and the mechanism
meetings and submitting contributions effective role in various conferences and and methodology of the Group work. The
and proposals. The meeting’s agenda also meetings in the development sector, and meeting also discussed the developments
included proposals submitted by other I am pleased to see many young faces of WTDC-21, and reviewed the most
countries, defining the Arab position in in the various meetings of development prominent outcomes of the meeting
this regards, effective coordination with sector, specifically in the development of Telecommunication Development
other regional groups, and Arab countries' sector studies.” H.E. Al Mesmar added: Advisory Group and the Study Groups of
support for various positions in the “The conference agenda is full of many the Development Sector. The International
development sector, whether presidential topics that interest the Arab region, most Telecommunication Union (ITU) organizes
positions or chairing study committees notably the decisions related to supporting the WTDC through the Telecommunication
and coordination between various Arab Arab countries, Arab regional initiatives, Development Bureau to address topics,
countries regarding various positions. In and other decisions such as Cybersecurity, projects and programs related to the
his opening speech, H.E. Eng. Majed Al statistics, bridging the standardization telecommunications development. This
Mesmar, TRA Deputy Director General for and digital gaps, building and developing conference seeks to define strategies
the Telecommunication Sector and head capabilities, especially empowering and goals for the ICT development, and
of the UAE delegation, addressed the youth of both genders, emerging modern provides guidance and advisory to the ITU
leadership and people of Lebanon with technologies, and communication in Telecommunication Development Sector
the deepest expressions of condolences situations of emergencies and disasters regarding future work. The government of
and sympathy for the victims of Beirut and other important topics. The previous Ethiopia will host the WTDC-21 in Addis
explosion, expressing the full support of preparatory meetings of the Arab Group Ababa from 8 - 19 November 2021.
the UAE and all Arab countries to Lebanon constituted distinct model for joint Arab

85 AUGUST 2020