Experts in Information Communication and Technologies (ICTs) have endorsed the
business models and training modules for Regional ICT Associations (RICTAs) affiliated to the East African Community (EAC), COMESA and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
This was done during a three-day validation workshop on 17 – 19 July 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda and attended by 28 experts who represented regulators, operators and from the postal sector. Representatives of partner regional economic communities namely, EAC, IGAD and SADC attended the meeting.
The documents will now be presented to the General Assemblies of the different RICTAS before implementation. Once fully in use, the models and modules are expected to enhance the RICTA’s organizational capacity with respect to business development and service delivery.
The validation is part of the deliverables under the European Union funded Enhancement of Governance and Enabling Environment in the ICT sector (EGEE-ICT) Programme being implemented in the East Africa-Southern Africa and Indian Ocean (EA-SA-IO) region.
Speaking during the opening session, Rwanda’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and Innovation Mr. Yves Iradukunda recognised the contribution that the RICTAs make to the ICT ecosystem and commended them for promoting ICT development at a regional level.
“Through the Regional ICT Associations, the region has seen practical solutions to topical ICT issues managed and discussed,” he said.
Mr. Iradukunda revealed that at the recently concluded ITU Global Symposium of Regulators 2024 (GSR-24), which took place in Kampala early in July, the role of Regional ICT Associations was evident. However, he noted that Regional ICT Associations face challenges that affect their performance and inhibit them from achieving their mandates and reaching their full potential. They include limited budget, staffing challenges at the secretariats, limited visibility, slow pace of transposition/domestication of guidelines, organization sustainability and membership challenges.
Mr Leonard Chitundu, COMESA Telecommunications Officer said the support provided to RICTAs under the EGEE-ICT programme is key for the region as it will lead to an efficient ICT sector. The programme supports the review and development of various ICT policy and regulatory frameworks that contribute to enhanced competition and improved access to affordable and secure ICT infrastructure and services.
Regarding RICTAs, the EGEE-ICT programme provides a set of support activities, all of which result into institutional and human build capacity building. The development of business models as well as the preparation and delivery of training modules is one such support activity for the RICTAs.
The five RICTAs are the East African Communication Organisation (EACO), Association of Regulators of Information and Communication in Eastern and Southern Africa (ARICEA), Communication Regulators Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), Southern African Telecommunications Association (SATA) and Southern Africa Postal Operators Association (SAPOA).