Regulators from 15 West African nations agreed to a common regulatory framework for their national ICT markets during a three-day validation workshop held last month in Geneva.
West Africa is seeking to create a single market based on the European Union model. The agreement on the new framework is aimed at creating a harmonised ICT market.
The workshop was chaired by acting director-general and CEO of the National Communications Authority of Ghana, John Tandoh.
"These guidelines are in keeping with international best practices, but tailored to the West African market. They will allow us to think globally, and act locally," says Tandoh.
The new guidelines favour a market-based approach to the provision of ICT services and are designed to spur investment and development in the West African ICT sector. Once widely adopted, it is hoped that they will prove instrumental in helping propel some of the world`s poorest nations into the information society.
The new harmonised regional framework, which covers interconnection, licensing, numbering, spectrum management, universal access and ICT policy and legislation, was formally approved by the third ordinary general meeting of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (Watra), chaired by Watra chairman and director-general of Senegal`s Agence de R'egulation des T'el'ecommunications, Daniel Seck.
"I am delighted that Watra has played such an important role in bringing the region together to achieve its goal of creating a harmonised ICT market," Seck said after the meeting.
The director of ITU`s Telecommunication Development Bureau, Hamadoun I Tour'e, was also pleased about the new regional approach. "These guidelines offer West Africa a state-of-the-art regulatory framework. ITU is proud to be associated with such a quality product," he said.
Developed under the auspices of ITU`s West African ICT Market Harmonisation project, which is being financed by the European Commission and administered by ITU`s Regulatory Reform Unit, the project involved consultations with the region`s regulators, operators, service providers and civil society, as well as input from a group of regulatory experts from Africa and Europe.
The guidelines will now be submitted to national communications ministers and heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and the West African Monetary Union for approval as directives to be applied throughout the region.
"This is a watershed project that has catalysed regional unity, and which we hope will serve as a model for future African ICT regulatory projects," noted Harry De-Backer, principal administrator, information society, new technologies, of the European Commission`s Development Directorate-General.
More than 100 participants took part in the event, including representatives from the regulatory authorities of Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, C^ote d`Ivoire, Ghana, the Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo as well as regional organisations including CATIA, Ecowas, the European Commission, the FCC, the West African Monetary Union, USAID and members of the private sector.
The Ecowas region includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, C^ote d`Ivoire, Ghana, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Thirteen of these countries have been classified by the United Nations as least developed countries.
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