ITU: Egypt to host 2016 global meeting of regulators

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the National Telecom Regulatory Authority of Egypt (NTRA) have signed the Host Country Agreement for the 2016 Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR).

The event is expected to take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from May 11 to 14, 2016.

The agreement, which covers all logistical requirements of the symposium was signed on-site in Sharm el-Sheikh on January 9.

The event will welcome world-class speakers with a dynamic programme focused around the hot topics challenging today’s ICT regulators, according to the UN specialised agency for ICTs.

“ITU’s Global Symposium for Regulators has quickly grown into the world’s pre-eminent gathering of the global ICT regulatory community,” Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General says.

According to him, “a transparent, best-practice regulatory framework is indispensable to the growth of new ICT markets and services. The GSR offers a unique opportunity for regulators to engage in a dialogue around priorities and concerns directly with industry leaders, to showcase their successes, and to learn from the experiences of other policy-makers tackling similar challenges. This is what makes GSR a must-attend event for the global ICT policy-making community.”

Brahima Sanou, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, expressed his thanks to the Government of Egypt and to the National Telecommunication Authority of Egypt (NTRA) for having offered to host GSR-16. “I am impressed with the event venue and the facilities, as well as the dedication of the host country team who are doing their utmost to stage a successful GSR and ensure a memorable and safe visit for all GSR-16 participants,” he said.

“This Host Agreement is a confirmation of the good cooperation and long relationship between the NTRA and ITU,” said Mustafa Abdul Wahid, acting Chairman of the NTRA, signing the agreement on behalf of the Government of Egypt. “The NTRA looks forward to implementing more projects with ITU.”

The theme for GSR-16 is “Be Empowered, Be Included: Building Blocks for Smart Societies in a Connected World.”

GSR-16 allows regulators, policy makers, industry leaders and other key ICT stakeholders to share their views, engage in interactive discussions and identify best practices moving forward, not only in the ICT/telecommunications sector, but also in terms of how ICT/telecommunications interacts with other regulation in today’s increasingly interconnected and collaborative ICT-based environment.