Africa-Asia Regulatory Conference: Emerging Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities

14 02 2012 - 15:00 PM

Agenda

Presentations
Session 2: Regulatory challenges in spectrum management

    Spectrum Sharing and Trading
    Transition from Analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Sri Lanka
    Legal and Industry Aspects in TV Broadcasting
    Spectrum Issues  in Nepal

Session 3: Human Resource issues in regulatory organisations

    Role of Partnerships in Capacity Building

Session 4: Mobile broadband

    Mobile Broadband Emerging trends & Regulatory Challenges
    Roles  & Responsibilities  of Regulators & Operators in Mobile Broadband Development
    International Broadband Connectivity
    Mobile Broadband: Way Forward to Bridge Digital Divide  Bhutanese Experience

Session 5: NGN / Convergence

    NGN Standards and Deployments in Asia-Pacific
    Changing Landscape of African Regulators

Session 6: Cyber Security

    The National Importance Of Cyber Security
    Cybersecurity & Child Online Protection (COP)

Session 7: Importance of IPv6

    Why IPv6?
    IPv6 Deployment StrategiesA Fixed Line Service Providers Perspective

Session 8: Importance of IPv6

For more information, visit www.cto.int

Unique Regulatory consultation to be held in Colombo to examine issues beyond the horizon

The first ever Africa – Asia Regulatory Conference will be held at the Hotel Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, Sri Lanka on the 14th and 15th February 2012. Organised jointly by the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation (CTO) and the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), the Conference will facilitate consultations between CTO members in Asia and Africa on critical emerging regulatory issues, including the Spectrum Management, Next Generation Networks (NGN), Mobile Broadband, Cyber Security and IPv6.  These issues provide both challenges as well as new opportunities to regulators and the operators.  In view of the similarities in socio-economic development of the African and Asian members of the CTO, the Conference is expected to arrive at consensual outcomes that would define common approaches to meet the regulatory challenges and in turn ensure that the potentials of these new developments are harnessed for the benefit of the peoples of Africa and Asia.  With a view to producing agreement on common approaches, the event will foster discussions and consultations set against the context of a number of addresses on specially selected topics by eminent speakers. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has extended its support to this pivotal event through its  association with the TRCSL. Dr.Sarath Amunugama (M.P.), Senior Minister of International Monetary Co-operation will be the Chief Guest and deliver the Keynote Address at the Conference.

19 Commonwealth countries will be represented at the Conference. They are as follows: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom. The number of foreign delegates expected to take part in the Conference is around 50.

Sri Lanka currently holds the Chairmanship of the CTO having been elected to that position at the 50th anniversary of the CTO held in Colombo in September 2010 and re-elected in 2011. Mr. Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the H E the President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse, and Chairman of the TRCSL, acted as the Chairman of the CTO on behalf of Sri Lanka and chaired the 50th Council meeting of the CTO held in Colombo in 2010.

Speaking on the event and the anticipated outcomes, Mr Anusha Palpita, the Director - General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka, who also is the current Chairman of the CTO said “Sri Lanka understands that learning is a two-way process. While we are pleased to share with our partners in the CTO, knowledge and expertise domiciled in the country, we are also willing to learn from them. In the connected world of ICTs, the process of partnerships and sharing, will spell the difference between success and failure, in serving our people in our respective countries..”

“I congratulate the TRCSL for taking the lead in organising this important event to promote consultations between CTO’s constituencies in Africa and Asia. The CTO looks forward to disseminating the outcomes of the conference through its diverse avenues, which I am sure will pave the way for cross-continental harmonisation of activities in the emerging fields that form the focus of this event.  Regulatory issues not only form part of our core mandate, but they are an essential issue in ensuring that the opportunities provided by ICTs are made available to all” said the Chief Executive Officer of the CTO, Professor Tim Unwin.

Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation:

With a history dating back to 1901, the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation (CTO) is an international development partnership between the Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, businesses and civil society organisations. The CTO provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka:

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) is the national regulatory agency for telecommunications in Sri Lanka. Their objective is to ensure the provision of a reliable and efficient, national and international telecommunication services in Sri Lanka. TRCSL promotes sustained development in the telecommunication industry by shaping the regulatory process, protecting public interest and being responsive to challenges in an increasingly competitive market. TRCSL ensures that competition in the market is open, fair and effective.