Ursula introduces Ghana’s RRB candidate to Commonwealth countries

Ghana’s Radio Regulations Board Candidate, Rev. Ing. Edmund Fianko, was presented to some Commonwealth countries during a high-level discussion session on the UN Global Digital Impact being held as part of scheduled activities for the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) ongoing in Kigali, Rwanda.

Rev. Fianko is an electronic communications engineer with in-depth experience in radio frequency spectrum management, telecom and broadcasting regulation as well as policy formulation at the national, regional and international levels.

He has been actively involved in the electronic communications regulatory environment for the last fifteen (15) years.

The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, who presented him requested member countries’ support.

She also revealed Ghana’s quest to be re-elected to the ITU Council.

As Ghana is the co-chair of the Commonwealth, Hon. Owusu-Ekuful, also urged the Commonwealth Community to vote for Commonwealth countries vying for the various ITU positions as it will enable the Association to have people in strategic positions to push forward the Commonwealth agenda.

She also seized the opportunity to announce a new draft resolution that Ghana is championing at the ITU and extended an invitation to other countries to be part of the initiative.

“It is my pleasure to inform you all that Ghana is championing a new draft resolution on Partner2Connect and therefore calls for support from partner countries for its implementation and sustainability. In this regard, South Africa and Namibia have come up with their support hence they are co-sponsors of the draft at WTDC.  Let me at this point seize the opportunity to invite any country which wishes to support this initiative” she said.

The Radio Regulations Board, in general, approves rules of procedure, used by the Radio communication Bureau in applying the provisions of the Radio Regulations and registering frequency assignments made by the Member States.

It also addresses matters referred by the Bureau which cannot be resolved through the application of the Radio Regulations and Rules of Procedure.

Furthermore, the Board considers reports of unresolved interference investigations carried out by the Bureau at the request of one or more administrations and formulates Recommendations.

The elections will be held at the next Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-22) which will be held in Bucharest, Romania, from 26th September to 14th October 2022.

Partner2connect digital coalition

In addition, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful called on ITU member-states to promote the Partner2Connect initiative.

According to the ITU’s Facts and Figures 2021, 63% of the world’s population used the Internet in 2021. This represents an increase of 17% since 2019, with 782 million people estimated to have come online during that period leaving 2.9 billion people offline.

According to the Minister, the Partners2Connect Coalition initiative is aimed at fostering meaningful connectivity and digital transformation globally and therefore needs to be formalized and focused on but not limited to the hardest-to-connect communities in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDs).

Hon. Owusu-Ekuful also indicated that the Partner2Connect initiative is the gateway to solving most of the challenges member-countries are facing and for that matter “let us resolve for the Telecommunication Development Bureau to promote the Partner2Connect programme at regional and international levels to mobilize new resources and partnerships in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the WSIS Action Lines, and the United Nations Secretary General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation”.

She further called on member-states to cooperate in implementing the various Partner2Connect pledges and commitments for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Universal Connectivity

She further urged the world to deepen solidarity in its quest to ensure universal connectivity.

According to her, this would not only help connect the unconnected but also enhance digital transformation that would help save lives, especially in cases of emergency crises.

She indicated that it is prudent and imperative for stakeholders to unite, that is, work together since the world is interconnected.

She also stated that no country or continent can solve its challenges alone otherwise universal connectivity cannot be achieved.

In her remarks, she said, “it is a shared responsibility involving all stakeholders: governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, business, SMEs and youth among others.”

The session which was moderated by Yu Ping Chan, Senior Programme Officer, UN Office of Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology had other speakers from South Africa, Lithuania, Mexico, Burkina Faso, Nepal and ITU Sector Members, including Microsoft, ATU, SAMENA, GSOA, A4AI.