I NTERNATIONAL T ELECOMMUNICATION U NION
Telecommunication
Development Bureau T E L E F A X
Place des Nations Telephone +41 22 730 51 11
CH-1211 Geneva 20 Telefax Gr3: +41 22 733 72 56
Switzerland Gr4: +41 22 730 65 00
Date: 24 February 2005 Time: Page 1/9 Ref:
To: Administrations Fax: See list
ITU-D Sector Members
Regulatory Agencies
Operators and Service Providers
Contact: Brahima Sanou, Head, ITU Regional Office for For your reply:
Africa
E-Mail: ITU-Harare@itu.int
Fax: +263 4 771257 Tel: +263 4 775941
Subject: FORUM ON TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATION IN AFRICA (FTRA-2005),
Maputo, MOZAMBIQUE, 27-28 APRIL 2005
Dear Sir/Madam,
On behalf of BDT and in collaboration with the Chairman of the African Telecommunication
Regulator’s Network, Mr. Patrick Masambu, I am pleased to invite you to participate in the
6th Forum on Telecommunication Regulation in Africa (FTRA-2005), to be hosted by the
Instituto Nacional das Communicações de Moçambique (INCM) at the Centro de
Conferencias Joaquim Chissano in Maputo, Mozambique from 27 to 28 April 2005.
The FTRA will be preceded by the Public Private Sector Partnership Forum (PPPF-Africa-
2005) which is scheduled for the 25th and 26th April 2005 at the same venue and to which
you are invited to participate as well.
Contrary to what has been the practice in the past years, this year’s FTRA will take place in
the first half of the year in order to provide participants with the opportunity to give inputs
and make the necessary preparations for the Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Africa
Region for the World Telecommunications Development Conference (WTDC) and the
World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) scheduled for the second semester of the year.
In the last FTRA in Kampala, discussions focused on Convergence of Technologies and its
implications on licensing. Later in Geneva, the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR)
reached consensus on Guidelines for Best Practices for Promotion of Low Cost Broadband
and Internet Connectivity.
Given the fact that many countries in Africa are still facing challenges to provide basic ICT
services to a large proportion of their population due to lack of adequate infrastructure, roll
out of infrastructure that supports broadband constitutes a further challenge. This calls for
formulation and implementation of an adequate strategy that will encourage and facilitate the
required investments.
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The THEME of the Forum is therefore: “BROADBAND: CHALLENGES FOR
AFRICAN REGULATORS”.
As previously, the Forum will discuss, share experiences and views among regulators and
ICT stakeholders on regulatory issues in relation to the current situation and the strategies to
extend the access to broadband-based services to the vast majority of the African population.
The Forum is also expected to contribute to building African views and contribution to the
Global events in the second semester of the year.
In order to facilitate the preparation of the Forum, you are kindly requested to complete the
attached Registration Form and return it not later than 31st March 2005 to the following
address:
ITU Area Office for Southern Africa
Harare, Zimbabwe
Fax:+263 4 771257
E-mail: ITU-Harare@itu.int
The draft Agenda, General Information on the venue, Hotel Reservation Form and the Panel
Participation Form are also attached. For updates and information about the Forum, please
visit our website at:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/afr or http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg or contact one of the
following:
Mr. Marcelino Tayob Mrs. Doreen Bogdan
Area Representative, Southern Africa Regulatory Reform Unit
Tel:+263 4 775941 or 775939 Tel:+41 22 7305643
Mobile:+263 11808168 Fax:+41 22 7305484
Fax:+263 4 771257 E-mail: Doreen.bogdan@itu.int
E-mail: marcelino.tayob@itu.int
I look forward to seeing you in Maputo for a successful Forum.
Yours faithfully,
(original signed by Mr. P. Gagné for Mr. Hamadoun I. Touré, Director)
Hamadoun I. Touré
Director
Annexes: - Draft Agenda
- Registration Form
- General Information on the venue
- Hotel Reservation Form
- Panel Participation Form