Page 8 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY SAMENA TRENDS

and that content and services are locally services that are reflective of human says the report. That environment should
relevant and available and purposeful. and children's rights. Public-private encourage affordable, meaningful, safe
Skills development with a focus on digital partnerships continue to be a key tactic and inclusive broadband services, and it
skills and discernment of information were towards enabling us to achieve this should attract the large investment that
highlighted as critical to reap the benefits of objective." At the meeting, the Broadband is needed. “The need for greater access
digital transformation going forward. “We Commission launched its annual State of to broadband that is fit for purpose in this
have made significant progress globally in Broadband Report, focusing on the shifting new world has never been more urgent,"
ensuring universal access to broadband realities of the pandemic era. According said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of
continues to improve, but much remains to the report, COVID-19 sparked a surge ITU's Telecommunication Development
to be done," said Paula Ingabire, Rwanda's in Internet use, but challenges to universal Bureau and Executive Director of the
Minister of Information Communication connectivity remain. The report also Commission, “we need the right regulatory
Technology and Innovation representing explores four principal barriers to achieving environment and the right strategies and
Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Co- universal connectivity: lack of skills, lack of policies." Commissioners leading working
Chair of the Commission. “The mission of access, lack of devices, and a lack of the groups on Smartphone Access and AI
the Broadband Commission still rings as means to pay for necessary equipment. Capacity Building presented findings and
relevant today as when it was first formed. Addressing the persistent digital divide recommendations of their final reports.
We must continue to strive for universal and meeting the Commission's advocacy The preliminary findings of the interim
access to meaningful, safe, secure, and targets requires strategies, policies and discussion paper of the Working Group on
sustainable broadband communications a conducive regulatory environment, Data for Learning were also introduce.

8 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022