Page 75 - SAMENA Trends - February 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

TRA UAE Hosts the MENA Spectrum Conference

The 5th MENA Spectrum Conference,
hosted by the Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority (TRA), was
launched in the Emirati capital, Abu
Dhabi in the presence of H.E. Majed Al
Mesmar, Deputy Director General of
The Telecommunications Regulatory
Authority (TRA), representatives of
telecommunications organizations in
relevant countries, and decision makers
in the spectrum sector from all over the
Middle East and North Africa, to discuss key
issues related to spectrum management
and coordination in the region. The MENA
Spectrum Conference aims through
discussion sessions and presentations
to foster cooperation and coordination
between Arab countries and countries
in the region in the field of frequency
spectrum. Participants will address all
developments in this sector based on the are available when needed, while taking Arab countries and North Africa in this field
results, decisions and recommendations into account matters of efficiency and on one hand, and between them and the
of the World Radiocommunication effectiveness.” His Excellency emphasized rest of the regional groups falling under the
Conference (WRC), which took place from that the UAE was keen to dedicate the time ITU umbrella on the other. This Conference
October 28 to November 22 in Sharm and effort, and work directly to pave the way comes shortly after the conclusion of the
el-Sheikh. In a speech delivered at the for the future, adding: “Upon the conclusion 26th ASMG Meeting, hosted earlier this
beginning of the Conference, H.E. Majed Al of WRC-19, we adopted a motivational month (February 9-11) by the TRA. The
Mesmar welcomed the guests, expressing approach to encourage our operators to Meeting aimed to review WRC results,
his gratitude to all those who worked for implement 5G technologies as quickly as identify new working groups and distribute
the success of the event, which comes possible, and the UAE has updated the all WRC-approved agenda items to mini
at a time when 5G and spectrum have National Frequency Plan to accommodate groups, in addition to distributing ASMG
become the talk of the hour. H.E. added: WRC decisions. Furthermore, we held in roles and tasks to ITU study committees
“Through this important Conference, we December 2019 the UAE 5G Conference and working groups. Arab countries
hope we can reach solutions that are not with wide participation of experts and attained five leading positions during WRC-
only sustainable, but also beneficial to all decision-makers from all over the world, 19 as follows: Dr. Omar Badawi (Egypt)
parties, through the diverse range of topics and we have developed the first 5G appointed as President of the WRC, Eng.
the Conference aims to cover. Today we strategy, drawing a clear roadmap towards Tariq Al-Awadi appointed as Vice Chairman
stand before a wide range of potential the application of this revolutionary of the WRC and leader of the ASMG, Eng.
challenges related to the implementation technology in the next 5-10 years.” The Sultan al-Baloushi (UAE) as head of
of 5G and other aspects of the Fourth two-day Conference agenda includes Working Group 4A on the discussion of
Industrial Revolution (4IR), but the major many discussion sessions, presentations, IMT-related matters, Eng. Ahmed Amin
challenge facing decision-makers in and open dialogue sessions which (UAE) as Chairman of Working Group 5A on
the spectrum sector is to ensure there highlighted the importance of spectrum satellite service topics, and Eng. Mohamed
is a strategy to keep up with this rapidly in achieving sustainable development in Suleiman (Egypt) as Chairman of Working
evolving environment, and to ensure the world and strengthening the efforts of Group 5B dealing with items related to
that the required spectrum resources cooperation and coordination among the satellite services.

75 FEBRUARY 2020