Ghana to host preparatory meetings of the Africa Telecommunication Union

Ghana is to play host to two major conferences of the Africa International Telecommunication Union in September to discuss and consolidate positions ahead of the ITU World Conference on international telecommunication, to be held later this year in Dubai.

The September meetings in Accra will include the third African preparatory meeting scheduled between 25-26 and the second Ministerial Summit on Digital Migration, which will bring together African communication ministers, civil society groups, internet service providers, among others, to discuss transition from analogue to digital television.

Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications, said the two meetings were important because of decisions to be taken would be binding on all countries.

He said the World Conference on International Telecommunications 2012 would review the ITU regulations, adding that the update of the international treaty would lay the framework, to support continued growth and an innovative and sustainable future for the telecommunication and information and communication technologies sector.

Mr. Iddrisu said there had been considerable developments in the ICT revolution and it was time to take the next step, to enhance access to affordable, equitable, high-speed fixed or mobile access, including voice, video and data.

In this direction, he said, the World Telecommunication Union would address the need for a new communications environment, supporting operators and service providers, to meet the huge challenges that were being driven by the rapid rise in data traffic, while allowing the users to continue enjoying the benefits brought about the Internet and other technologies.

Some of the areas to be considered during the conference include human rights of access to communications, security in the use of ICTs, quality of service and convergence, among others.

“We believe that every opportunity will be given for the effective sharing of knowledge and experience to guide our negotiators when the moment comes for the conclusion of the Treaty,” the minister said.

Mr. Iddrisu said the Accra meeting would provide opportunity for the local industry to follow the deliberations on the new generation of ITU regulations being developed.

Mr. Abdoulkarim Soumalia, Secretary General, African Telecommunications Union, said coming together to discuss the issues would strengthen the position of the continent at the conference.**