! $% "#
& ' ' (
- . ( /
' "* ! ) + ", & ' ' ) 0 $
NOTE BY THE DIRECTOR OF BDT REPORT ON PRIVATE SECTOR/SECTOR MEMBERS ACTIVITIES AFRICA REGION
INTRODUCTION
The major activity in the Africa Region in 2007, in addition to the traditional partnership and private-sector activities, will have been the organization of the annual session of the "Regional Working Party on privatesector issues".
ACTIVITIES IN 2007 Recruitment of Sector Members
Activities in relation to the private sector focused primarily on raising awareness among ICT/telecommunication industry players. This activity is included in the annual objectives of every Professional staff member in the region. All missions and events organized by ITU and all events to which ITU was invited provided opportunities to continue raising private-sector awareness of the benefits of ITU-D membership. Following wide distribution of the flyers, numerous companies and organizations contacted the Partnership, Promotion and Membership Division (PPM).
Actions in favour of existing Sector Members
All information circulars sent to administrations were also sent to Sector Members. Like administrations (regulators and ministries), Sector Members were invited to, and participated in, all activities organized in the region (seminars, workshops). Whenever possible, the regional office did its utmost to ensure that ITU lent its support to (by identifying experts, resource persons, etc.), and was represented at, major events organized by its Sector Members. The regional office also made contact with Sector Members suspended in 2007 for being in arrears, and this resulted in four Sector Members being able to regularize their situation, among other things by means of installment-based repayment plans. Despite all the efforts made, however, 11 Member States still had nonpayment status and ran the risk of being removed from the list of ITU Sector Members at 31 December 2007.
Meeting of the Regional Working Party on private-sector issues
The meeting of the Regional Working Party on private-sector issues was held in Nairobi (Kenya) on 4 and 5 June 2007, just prior to the Forum on Telecommunication Regulation in Africa (FTRA), held on 6 and 7
-2WGPS-08-6/4-E
June. The theme of the meeting, which was attended by over 130 sector professionals from Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas, was "Promoting infrastructure sharing and low-cost solutions for Africa". The meeting confirmed by acclamation Dr Jones Killimbie as Chairman of the TDAG African Working Party on private-sector issues for the period 2007-2008. It then went on to discuss the following subjects within the framework of the above-mentioned main theme: Trends and challenges in the telecoms/ICT industry Infrastructure sharing and low-cost solutions Challenges for small, medium and micro-enterprise (SMME) development Projects and new initiatives African private-sector issues roundtable
PROGRAMME FOR 2008
In consultation with the Chairman of the Working Party, three main activities will be pursued in 2008: an information/training session for telecommunication and ICT industry CEOs and executives; organization of the working party's annual meeting in Dakar (Senegal) in early June 2008; continuation and stepping up of contacts with key ICT/telecommunication sector players in Africa with a view to boosting the continent's representation among the ITU Sector Members. ________