In Juba, South Sudan, the 1st Advisory Council and 30th General Assemblies under EACO were launched, with over 250 regional stakeholders convened under the theme, "Shaping the Future of the East African Region through Digital Transformation." The high-level event on 9-13 June 2025 was hosted by the National Communication Authority (NCA).

This landmark congregating marks a significant milestone for EACO, as it signals the inauguration of the Advisory Council meeting-a forum consisting of Members and Partners that meet once every two years to adopt and coordinate recommendations from the different Assemblies. Together with the Advisory Council, the four annual Assemblies of EACO-i.e., Regulators, Postal Operators, Telecommunications Operators, and Broadcasting Operators-have also convened in Juba for discussions concerning the regional ICT landscape.

Digital transformation and inclusive growth in focus

Day 1 focused on digital transformation as a critical dimension towards unlocking East African socio-economic development potential. Loads of thematic sessions were debated, including the following topics:

• ICT infrastructure development and regional connectivity
• Infrastructure sharing for cost efficiency
• Digital inclusion strategies for the unserved
• E-waste management and green ICT solutions

South Sudan hosting the Assemblies enhances NCA's regional leadership in telecommunications matters and projects to establish a digital hub.

"When we deliberate over the coming days, let us remain aware that the policies, recommendations, and standards we adopt here will ultimately touch many lives," stated Mr Gieth Mathiang Kon, Director General of NCA, during the opening day.

Regional leaders join forces to frame ICT policy

Day Two was marked by the official inauguration of the General Assemblies, drawing together regulatory and operational stakeholders from across East Africa. The arrival of Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of ICT and National Guidance from Uganda was warmly welcomed by top officials from the host country. The participation of such senior policymakers surely demonstrates a shared commitment to the region harmonising its ICT policy and regulatory framework with regional priorities and the African Union’s digital transformation agenda.

Marking a new chapter in regional ICT leadership

Reflecting the successful conclusion of the 1st Advisory Council meetings, the National Communication Authority announced that the 1st Advisory Council meetings had come to a close after being held from 11 to 13 June 2025 in Juba.

The final day was characterised by a comprehensive report from the outgoing Chair of EACO, Dr. Samuel Muhizi of Burundi, offering key reflections on the organisation's progress and its strategic priorities. However, a significant moment in the proceedings saw the official handover of the EACO chairmanship from Dr. Muhizi to Mr. Gieth Kon Mathiang, Director-General of the NCA, South Sudan.

In their final moments, the meetings adopted a Final Communiqué that encapsulated crucial resolutions and undertakings from member states aimed at enhancing collaboration and expediting digital transformation across East Africa.

The interface for collaboration and regional integration

EACO remains firmly positioned in coordinating the regional space for inclusive and sustainable growth through digital transformation. These instruments- the Advisory Council and General Assembly- pave the way for peer learning, policy alignment, and institutional collaboration enhancement among the telecommunications sector of East Africa.

As a participant in iPRIS, EACO plays a pivotal role in assisting national national regulatory authorities (NRAs) as they strive to implement their change initiatives in their respective countries.

For more updates from the EACO 1st Advisory Council and 30th General Assemblies, follow the official proceedings here

For more information on the role of Regional Regulatory Organisations (RROs) like EACO in iPRIS, click here

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).

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

We are pleased to announce that  a new cohort, comprising seven ICT National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) from  Gambia, Lesotho, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa, will commence the iPRIS peer-to-peer learning  session in Sweden from 12 to 29 May 2024.

The NRAs represented include The Gambia’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA), Mauritius’ Information and Communications Technology Authority (ICTA), Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), and Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).

National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), also called telecom regulators, are official bodies appointed by governments to represent and advocate for the interests and rights of consumers in the digital marketplace. In the information and communication technology (ICT) industry, NRAs develop and enforce policies and regulations that protect consumers, promote fair competition, and encourage innovation.

The project implementors, including SPIDER,PTS and ILR  will meet on the 30th May. iPRIS is implemented by SPIDER ( the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions), the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), and the Luxembourg Regulatory Institute (ILR).In collaboration with the African Regional Regulatory Organisations, the implementers support the participating National Regulatory Authorities in achieving their strategic change initiatives.

A peer to peer learning approach 

iPRIS aims to bridge the digital divide by boosting the capacities of African telecommunications regulatory authorities through peer-to-peer learning.

“iPRIS provides peer-to-peer capacity-building for African National Regulatory Authorities and Regional Regulatory Organisations, said SPIDER Director, Dr Caroline Wamala.  “It stems from the recognition of the significance of ICT policies and regulation in promoting digital inclusion, equitable access to the Internet, consumer rights protection, and personal data safeguarding.”

Engaging 43 countries in Africa, iPRIS aims to enhance inclusive digital connectivity and drive social and economic prosperity using ICT. The regulators participating in the project include National Regulatory Authorities and Regional Regulatory Organisations across sub-Saharan Africa.

The 2024 A cohort is the second group of NRAs taking part in the iPRIS training after the first cohort, 2023A, successfully completed the Sweden Phase in November 2023 and the Africa Phase in Zambia in March 2023. Currently, the 2023 A group is busy with their change initiatives, and they are set to complete the program in November 2023.

The 2023 A group comprises of regulators from Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), Eswatini Communication Commission (ESCCOM), Sierra Leone National Communication Authority (NatCA), National Communication Authority of South Sudan (NCA), Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), and Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA).

Read the first edition of the  iPRIS Newsletter here 

The training approach 

The  two and a half week long peer to peer training programme  in  Sweden covers a wide range of topics on the Joint European Offer, Project management, gender, equality and incluson The topics covered in the Joint European offer include, institutional and legal framework, competition for a dynamic market, end user protection, spectrum management and secure communications.

During the training, the NRAs from Africa will have an opportunity to share insights and witness technical aspects/ regulatory approaches from their European counterparts. The training programme also includes a site visit to the VASA Museum, PTS, and Ericsson.

Change Initiatives 

The comprehensive training is designed to equip participants with the skills and insights they need to develop change initiatives to  drive meaningful change within their regulatory bodies. Change Initiatives” are strategic projects undertaken by NRAs during the iPRIS training to bridge the digital divide by addressing challenges and opportunities within the ICT sector. They are the cornerstone of iPRIS and are specifically designed to align with the strategic agendas of regulatory bodies.  The change initiatives focus on policy development and implementation linked to key issues within the ICT sector, such as infrastructure gaps, regulatory inefficiencies, or digital inclusion barriers

After the Sweden training a regional support team, with representatives from African RROs, collaborates with the national regulators to support the implementation of their change initiatives, thus promoting regional harmonisation.

The 2024 A cohort will meet up for one week after four months in one of the African countries represented in their group for the Africa phase.  This week-long meeting will provide a platform for participants to review progress, share results, and engage in discussions to enhance their change initiatives (CIs) further.  One year after the round begins (June 2024), the efficacy and progress of the change initiatives implemented by the participating NRAs will be examined and evaluated.

For more information please contact,

Ms. Edna Soomre, Project Lead iPRIS

ipris@spidercenter.org