The 2024A Africa Regional follow-up phase was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from 7 to 10 October 2024. The official opening was graced by Dr Jabiri Kuwe Bakari, Director General of Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) and Barbara Barone, Policy Officer for Digital For Development at the European Commission in Tanzania
During the week-long session, African telecom experts from national telecom regulatory authorities from Lesotho, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania, The Gambia, and Uganda showcased the progress and results of their change initiatives. Change initiatives are the cornerstone of iPRIS and are specifically designed to align with the strategic agendas of the participating national telecom regulators. They are strategic projects chosen and undertaken by the national regulators to contribute to bridging the digital divide.
The week-long program provided a comprehensive lineup of sessions to enhance skills and knowledge across various ICT regulatory topics. Participants engaged in workshops on survey techniques, broadband coverage, and consumer satisfaction, led by Peter Thornqvist, Senior Policy adviser and Legal officer at Swedish National Telecom and Post Agency (PTS). Sele Pokima from The West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) and Andrew Changa from The East African Communications Organization (EACO) offered insights on regional harmonisation aimed to advance economic and social development in the region.
Kerstin Borglin from SPIDER led an interactive project management essentials and MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) frameworks session engaging participants in hands-on learning to boost program effectiveness and sharpen impact assessment skills.Other sessions covered project management essentials, MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) frameworks to strengthen program effectiveness and impact assessment. Dr. Caroline Wamala Larsson facilitated a session t on diversity and inclusion strategies, equipping participants with tools to foster inclusive and equitable environments within their telecom organizations.
Jean Francois Le Bihan, Mugisha Philip Bisanda, Talib Sheriff and Rene Summer from Ericsson provided valuable insights on transitioning from legacy technologies, implementing cybersecurity frameworks for telecom regulation, and harnessing the potential of E-Band in 4G and 5G networks.
Along the sidelines of the training, the telecom regulators enjoyed a cultural visit to Dar es Salaam’s village museum, experiencing the vibrant heart of East Africa.
Here are some photo highlights from the Africa follow-up phase that was held in Dar es Salaam
Dr Jabiri Kuwe Bakari – Director General of Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA), and Engineer Mr. Christopher John Assenga, Principal Engineer, TCRA, pose with the SPIDER team
Talib Sheriff – Country Manager Ericson Tanzania presents regional and global insights on 2G, 3G and 5G to the participants.
African and European experts taking part in the Africa Follow-up Week in Dar es Salaam visit the village museum in Dar es Salaam to learn about the traditions of various ethnic groups across Tanzania and how buildings were designed and reflected in everyday life.
Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) presenting their Change Initiative to their peers (telecom experts). This allows the opportunity to celebrate progress and receive further input for improvement.
Peer-to-peer learning sessions in Dar es Salaam emphasising the critical role that Regional Regulatory Organisations have in facilitating cross-border collaboration and enabling regional harmonisation.
iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and the Luxembourg Regulatory Institute (ILR).
