To be Harmonious Consensus: Experts met in Nairobi to raise the standards of Telecommunications in the African Landmass

By Abdul Rahman Bangura-

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS (NADN) Freetown, Sierra Leone–In preponderance of the World Telecommunication Assembly, the Second African Telecommunication Union (ATU) Forum was attended by more than 200 real participants encircling telecoms regulators and the private sector from Africa to dialogue how common standards will elevate universal access to developed wireless, broadband, and multimedia technologies.

ATU Secretary-General – John Omo remarked that, Africa desires to advance same standards for telecommunication equipment such as computer and mobile devices to heighten interoperability of ICT devices across borders.

“Africa also needs a common emergency telecommunications number so that countries can cooperate in responding to disasters such as floods,” Omo noted.

He furthered that; the Landmass same demands to be developed a common cybersecurity framework for telecommunication networks to assure that the region is safe from online threats.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy – Eliud Owolo, stated that, common telecommunication standards will provide African manufacturers with a solid basis on which to compete in the global marketplace, unhindered by technical barriers.

Owalo emphasized that harmonized standards across the continent of Africa will certainly be a windfall to consumers who will have devices that are compatible and seamless across diverse platforms and technologies.

Seizo Onoe – the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialized agency of the United Nations, noted that telecommunications standards are the lifeblood of information communication and technology connectivity and industry developments.

Onoe said, a unified telecommunications standards in Africa will result in economies of scale and affordable digital services for consumers.

David Mugonyi, Director General of the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), exhorted Africa to assume harmonized telecommunications standards, certainly it will elevate cross-border interactions and interoperability of devices and systems.

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports, Africa Correspondent