1. Africa Inter-Regional Coordination Meeting
for
WTSA-16
Cairo, 6 September, 2016
Dr. Sherif Guinena
ATU Advisor
Cairo, 6 September 2016

2. Overview of ATU
Established in 1977 in Kinshasa – DRC, as a specialized agency of AOU now AU in the area of telecommunications.
Has four permanent organs (1. Plenipotentiaries Conference; 2. Administrative Council; 3. Technical and Development Conference, and 4. General Secretariat with temporary headquarters in Nairobi – Kenya)
Provides for non-permanent organs e.g. the newly established AfriSWoG
Currently has 45 Member States and 33 Associate Members
However, all African countries actively participate in ATU activities
Increased partnerships: e.g. ISOC, African Institute
Key programs: Policy and regulatory development; Spectrum Management, Capacity building; ICT Infrastructure development; Preparatory work for International ICT conferences such as ITU PP, WTDC, WCIT, WRCs
Cairo, 6 September 2016

3. ATU Preparatory Process for WTSA-16
1st Preparatory meeting Dakar, Senegal 7-8 SEP 2015.
Reviewed WTSA-12 outcomes.
The Work and Time Plan; forming Working Groups.
Identification of potential issues for WTSA-16.
2nd Prep. Meeting Maputo, Mozambique 4-6 April 2016
Submission and Discussing some Draft AFC Proposals.
Review of ITU-T preparation for WTSA-16.
Re-iterating the hot topics for WTSA-16
Updating the work-Time Plan
3rd meeting (planned): Cairo, EGYPT, 4-6 SEP 2016.
Finalizing the ACP.
Determination of nominees for SGs leadership positions.
Interregional meeting on 6th of SEP 2016.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

4. Preparatory Working Groups
Four working Groups formed on:
Organizational Maters.
Working Methods.
Standardization Issues (incl. 4 Working Parties).
Developing Countries Issues, including BSG.
Each WG has a management team (Chairman and two or more Vice Chairmen).
Cairo, 6 September 2016

5. ATU Member States views on Structuring
High level SGs structure principles (proposed change):
A: Optimized structure
B: Clear mandates
C: Enhanced coordination and cooperation
D: Cost-effectiveness and attractiveness
E: Efficient and productive working methods
F: Timely identification of standardization needs
G: Assists in addressing the concerns of developing countries and BSG.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

6. High level SGs structure principles
G: Assists in addressing the concerns of developing countries and BSG
The new structure should assist developing countries to bridge the standardization gap, such as the identification of measures to enhance participation in the work of the study groups, including the use of electronic working methods.
The new structure should consider the concerns of the developing countries, in particular SGs that mostly develop Recommendation having a regulatory dimension;
Considering that the ITU Constitution (CS104): “The functions of the ITU-T shall be, bearing in mind the particular concerns of the developing countries , …..” .
Also from the preamble of the CS: “taking into consideration of facilitating peaceful relations, international cooperation among peoples and economic and social development by means of efficient telecommunication services”.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

7. RevCOM Review Committee has fulfilled its mandates.
RevCom ends its activity by WTSA-16.
Suppress Resolution 82 (Dubai, 2012): “Strategic and structural review of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector”
Cairo, 6 September 2016

8. Restructuring SG2 WP2/2 (Management) : Move to SG13.
SG2 Q4/2 (Human Factors) : Move to SG16.
SG3 : NOC
SG5 : NOC
SG9 : Move to SG16, and QoS Qs transferred to SG12
SG11: NOC
SG12 : Receive QoS Qs from SG9
SG13 : Receive WP2/2 from SG2
SG15 : NOC
SG16 : Receive Q4/2 from SG2
SG17 : NOC
SG20 : NOC
Cairo, 6 September 2016

9. More on Restructuring SG 3 SG11 Contributions:
Add to its leading role and mandates: “Policy and Regulatory”.
SG11
Continuation of SG11 (Signaling/Protocols/ C&I/Counterfeit) in particular the C&I and the Counterfeit mandates.
Support for Collocated meetings of SG11 and SG13.
Establishment of SG11RG-AFR in particular regarding C&I and Counterfeit.
Contributions:
To request thorough study, including, by SGs of restructuring before drastic changes.
Proposal for drastic restructuring based on “Focused” SGs.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

10. SGs Chairmanship/VC Res. 35
Africa will nominate several Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen for ITU-T Study Groups in order to get developing countries involved in the management of the SGs.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

11. Frequency and Duration of SGs meetings
Consideration of financial implications for Africa (and DCs) in attending very long or very short meetings (including burden of long travel routes, or high living expenses in Geneva).
Resources for fellowships for attending SGs meetings should be enhanced.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

12. Rules of Procedures and Working Methods
Resolution 1: Recommendation A.1, A.13
Are so far stable and should not be subject to significant revisions.
Africa within the regional coordination activity, invites other Regions not to propose revisions that may make it difficult for Developing Countries to be involved in the work of ITU-T SGs, or those that do not bear in mind the special concerns of DCs.
Use of ITU-T texts to in standardization education and sharing of successful stories of technology implementations.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

13. Rules of Procedures and Working Methods
Res. 32 (EWM)
NOC, EWM should enhanced, being of great importance for Africa, including easy and reliable “Remote Participation” means.
Res. 54 (RGs)
Africa was very concerned with the draft proposal of some MSs expressed in last TSAG regarding the establishment and working methods of Regional Groups.
Africa in this coordination meeting, invites these MSs to revise their proposals, taking into account the specific concerns of Africa and DCs in general as have been expressed in the last TSAG.
Res. 44 (BSG)
Revisions to assist cooperation with regional STD ORGs and relevant capacity building.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

14. Colaboration and Coordination
Integrating Res. 18 and Res. 57
Africa is supportive for collaboration and coordination between Sectors, including ITU-D ().
Res.11
Enhancing collaboration with UPU and POC; including DFS and QoS/QoE issues.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

15. Thematic Resolutions NNAI and services related Resolutions
Misuse, misappropriation, ACP, CPND, ..etc, have great impact “especially” on African and other Developing Countries.
Africa invites other Regions during this inter-regional coordination meeting to revise their announced positions, and to adopt revised Resolutions that help effectively in combating misuse and misappropriation of NNAI resources, and to combat practices that are conductive to fraud. Also to enhance collaboration of MSs in this regard.
Proposed revisions by Africa to relevant Resolutions (e.g. 20, 29, 49, 61, 69) are supportive to the above targets.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

16. Thematic Resolutions Res 76: Conformance & Interoperability
Consideration for expediting and expanding CIT which is of great concern to DCs, including continuation of pilot project, regional test labs, and accelerating activities leading to the implementation of the ITU Mark.
Res 72 : EMF
Being of great concern to Africa, revisions call for collaboration and sharing of technical and regulatpry experiences, and for coordination between the 3 Sectors.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

17. Thematic New Resolutions
Combating Counterfeit Devices
Draft new Res. on combating Counterfeit devises. These are very disruptive to African markets, users rights, security and privacy; and health hazards.
Collaboration of MSs and Regions is highly envisaged.
DFS
Draft new Resolution to address DFS which are of great importance to Africa, where it is one of the widest implementers of such services, where as DFS is not yet standardized.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

18. Thematic New Resolutions
Combating Threats
Draft New Resolution to combat ICT threats (Spam, Counterfeit and cyber security), to complement and integrate efforts and to increase efficiency.
Review the implementation of WTSA Resolutions
Although the TSB Director review and reports on the implementation of his relevant parts, yet there is no indicators on the implementation by MSs, SMs, ..etc. This draft new Resolution addresses this issue.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

19. Thematic New Resolutions
ITRs revision and periodic review
Draft new Resolution requesting ITU-T to periodically review the ITRs and report as necessary.
OTT
Draft new Resolution to address the impact of OTT on developing countries, and the necessary studies and actions.
Cairo, 6 September 2016

20. Conclusion
Africa provided proposals to enhance the functionality of the ITU-T, whereas efficiency should not focus only on financial resources, but also consider building up of resources to fulfill more positive impact of ITU-T on MSs.
Africa has been responsive to announced “tentative” proposals and positions of other Regionals and MSs that may conflict with the intestates of Africa.
Africa is proposing several new Resolutions to address and resolves issues of concern to many MSs including DCs.
Africa seeks in this Coordination Meeting that other Regions revises their proposals bearing in mind the specific concerns of developing countries, including Africa.
Africa is inviting all Regions to exert every effort to Bridge the Gap in views in WTSA-16, for “facilitating peaceful relations, international cooperation among peoples and economic and social development by means of efficient telecommunication services”
Cairo, 6 September 2016

21. Wishing you a Successful WTSA-16
Cairo, 6 September 2016

22. thank you! Dr. Sherif Guinena ATU Advisor Dr.Guinena@ntra.gov.eg
Cairo, 6 September 2016