Page 19 - SAMENA Trends - April-May 2021

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY SAMENA TRENDS

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY

SAMENA Council Contributes toward Arab Regional Priority Alignment;
Advocates for Coverage & Capacity Spectrum Bands to Accelerate
Standalone 5G

As a complement to WTDC-21 preparatory recommendations, and mobilize concerted actions, in light of certain ground realities
session later held during the Leaders' partnerships between Private Sector and and trends -- such as expansion of digital
Summit 2021, SAMENA Council has the Policymakers & Regulators, and set channels and e-commerce, emergence
contributed to the Arab Regional Online incentives to build the digital infrastructure of OpenRAN and Autonomous Driving
Workshop on “Crystallizing Regional required to overcome those gaps." Networks, Cloud communications and
Priorities in the Arab Region" and voiced AI-based capabilities, greener and more
perspectives on what the Private Sector Advocating for a clear way forward on efficient data center operations and
requires in order to continue playing its aligning government and private-sector initiatives such as carbon neutrality, etc.
much-needed role in fulfilling the Arab priorities and industry areas to focus on as -- there are certain areas that remain
region's digital transformation goals. an immediate imperative, SAMENA Council central to the future efforts on expanding
highlighted the popularity of high-speed connectivity and in accelerating digital
Advocating for a clear data services, especially 5G services, in the transformation and development.
way forward on aligning region. Drawing stakeholder attention to These areas include devising new
the need to digitally transform as a function
government and pri- of investment and close collaboration mechanisms for reducing high industry
vate-sector priorities and between governments and the Private fees and taxation, taking into consideration
international practices. In this regard,
Sector, especially Telecom Operators, the
industry areas to focus on Council reiterated that it is investment in and to address various other challenges,
as an immediate imper- digital transformation and meaningful ITU's "collaborative regulation model" for
ative, SAMENA Council proliferation of the ICTs which holds the inclusive stakeholder participation and
inclusive digital future should be put into
promise of fulfilling the SDGs, to which
highlighted the popularity the Private Sector has expressed its full effect on an accelerated basis. Next, the
of high-speed data ser- commitment. It is sustainable, incentivized issue of data regulation has important
and partnered investment, which will aid
implications for Operators, and thus
vices, especially 5G ser- in expediting technological development cross-border flow of data for Operators
vices, in the region. and digital innovation both within the ICT should be allowed, and its implementation
Industry as well as other priority sectors, should be started with immediate pilot
such as Health, Finance, Education, projects if necessary, with Operators given
CEO of SAMENA Council, Bocar BA was among others. In order to create new the free-hand to demonstrate and work
of the view that "Stakeholder priority jobs, sustain ICT development and human with Regulatory Authorities to ensure
alignment is happening at a time when capital development, and overall socio- mutual requirements are met. Moreover,
economic growth and sustainability are economic progress, investments must licensed Operators, which require support
among the greatest needs of the hour, be incentivized and market predictability to help meet their financial targets through
and thus collective efforts are in dire should be ensured. This, in turn, requires improved revenue-generation and to be
need of producing fulfilling outcomes, agility in policymaking and a positive, able to invest in the drive toward achieving
which are as equally connected to the enabling regulatory environment across Universal Digital Access in the Arab
success of the Public Sector as they are the Arab Region. Region, should benefit from Policymakers'
to the business and sustainability of the and Regulators' “non-Telecom” approach
Private Sector. With its global aspiration SAMENA Council emphasized that while whereby a level-playing field for Operators
of achieving Universal Digital Access and the Arab region, on several accounts, has is created, so that all Digital Space Players
to materialize Meaningful Connectivity, it been relatively quick in the alignment of contribute to the development of ICT
is important that the region account for its Private Sector stakeholder and national Infrastructure and in ensuring that "no one
digital gaps that do exist. Thus the region's priorities, and hence can now reap the is left behind". In striving toward bringing
stakeholders must first pinpoint those benefits of their astutely defined ICT meaningful connectivity to everyone,
gaps, be vocal about their impact if they're visions, foresightedness, and the political innovation in the creation, adoption, and
left un-addressed, implement the ITU's key will to transform policy into measureable championing by the government sector of

19 APRIL-MAY 2021