Samena council to represent investment needs of telecoms operators in ITU’s Global Symposium for regulators

The South Asia – Middle East – North Africa’s SAMENA Telecommunications Council will be participating in the 13^th Global Symposium for Regulators organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Warsaw, Poland from 3 to 5 July 2013. 

The Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), an ITU platform that brings together heads of national telecoms and ICT regulatory bodies and policy-making institutions from around the world, is a forum where representation of the SAMENA region’s telecoms industry’s issues and concerns, especially with regard to sustainability of future investments and future strategy planning, will be carried out by the SAMENA Council. 

Represented by its CEO, Mr. Bocar A. BA, and Mr. James Smith, Legal Advisor to the Board of Directors, the SAMENA Council will share insights on business transformation challenges that telecoms operators are facing to ensure a strong business future. Mr. BA, a speaker in the Financial Debate, to be held on July 4th, will address the impact of regulatory frameworks and policies on investments, and will also draw attention to the telecoms operator community’s need to conduct its strategy planning, centred around the Internet, and how policy-makers have a role to play in facilitating the industry’s evolution to the next phase by creating fairer, investment-friendly environments that aid the digitization process in the region. 

Although the investments environment and the availability of credit has improved in some markets over the past four years, and thus more telecoms investments, particularly on next-generation broadband services and digital service growth, can now be supported, the need to ensuring regulatory independence, good governance, predictable legal processes, and balance-keeping in sustaining market competition remains as a critical investment-fostering criteria. It is, therefore, very important that consideration toward minimizing regulatory risks be granted. 

“We hope to represent our members’ interests and issues at GSR, one of the world’s topmost forums. Our focus will be on approaching policy-makers and regulators, and creating a way forward for a dialogue on matters that includes digitization”, said Mr. Bocar BA.