Page 7 - SAMENA Trends - September 2021

BBCOM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 21ST CENTURY FINANCING, FUNDING AND INVESTMENT SAMENA TRENDS

SAMENA Council Contributes to

Recommendations for 21st Century ICT
Infrastructure Funding

Co-chaired by SAMENA Telecom- mandate of bringing meaningful and
munications Council’s CEO, Bocar BA, affordable connectivity to the world’s
Broadband Commission's Working entire population. Key Recommendations
group on 21st Century Financing, • Broadening the Base of Contributors
Funding and Investment Models BA has also commended all members to ensure that all that participate in
has concluded its work on findings of the Working Group and supporting and benefit from the digital economy
and recommendations for bridging Commissioners for their sustained and its broadband infrastructure can
broadband connectivity gaps. The engagement and expert input that gave contribute to it
Working Group's report is a key first step rise to a successful outcome of the • Earmarking Proceeds from ICT Sector
in accelerating more comprehensive work of two years and stressed upon Participants to be spent on initiatives
and inclusive frameworks for ICT the significance of the four strategic supporting the BBCom’s connectivity
broadband infrastructure development recommendations Bocar stated that and adoption goals, including
and for providing meaningful “Now, we must gear ourselves up proceeds from existing mandatory
connectivity. for the task at hand, to ensure that contributions, fees, regulatory levies,
we will advance in our joint goal of or digital taxes.
The recommendations present prac- connecting the remaining unand • Reforming Universal Service and
tical actions that policymakers, reg- under-connected 3.7 billion. We will Access Funds (USAFs), where they
ulators, international organizations, start our advocacy now on these 4 have been found to be ineffective,
digital economy participants and the key strategic recommendations. I with a focus on new, incremental
private sector can take to innovative- can envision our Working Group’s infrastructure deployment and
ly close the digital divide, and set out recommendations leading the world demand-supporting initiatives aimed
a clear vision for a more collabora- to continued innovation and new at securing affordable connectivity
tive approach to bridging connectivity broadband development initiatives." to many, as well as recognizing
gaps. The recommendations also align various types of contributions from
closely with the most recent Agenda The Working Group for 21st Century the broader base of stakeholders as
for Action issued by the Commission to Financing and Funding Models for identified in recommendation 1
achieve “faster and better recovery” in Sustainable Broadband Development • Creating an International Fund to
the aftermath of the recent pandemic. was established as a cross- support the sustainable development
sector group of thought-leaders of broadband, which could be
Bocar BA highlighted the collabora- and operated under the auspices hosted by an existing international
tion-intensive achievement by the In- of the Broadband Commission or multilateral development bank
dustry’s leading players – including for Sustainable Development. Its in coordination with the relevant
national regulatory authorities, members included national regulatory UN organizations. This fund would
telecommunications operators, finan- authorities, telecommunications be open to investors and non-
cial institutions, trade associations, operators, financial institutions, trade governmental organisations that
academics and notfor-profit develop- associations, academics and not-for- could make voluntary contributions
ment organizations and industry bodies. profit development organizations and for the provision of low capital-cost,
By delivering a set of implementable its central objective was to explore and long-amortisation-period financing.
recommendations on financing, identify new and innovative funding,
funding, and investment, which aim to financing and investment strategies
address shortfalls in existing ways of to address the challenge of extending The Executive Summary of the report
financing infrastructure and reflect the broadband connectivity and services developed by Working Group on 21st
changed market realities of the 21st to those who, to this day, remain Financing, Funding and Investment Models
Century, the Working Group’s multi- unconnected, particularly in Africa, can be downloaded from the Broadband
stakeholder engagement and output Asia, South America and the Pacific Commission’s website.
re-affirm the Commission’s core Islands.

7 SEPTEMBER 2021