The United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is hosting its annual Global Symposium for Regulators in Uganda this year. The event will take place from the 1st-4th July 2024 at the Convention Centre, Speke Resort Munyonyo under the theme: ‘Regulation for Impact”.
The ITU is a specialised agency of the United Nations concerned with information communication technologies. Some of its mandate includes facilitating international connectivity in communications networks, improving access to ICTs to poor communities globally, and establishing global standards to encourage smooth and continuous interconnectivity of networks and technologies.
The ITU further facilitates international cooperation and coordination in telecommunications and ICTs worldwide in order to ensure an efficient and equitable use of global telecommunication resources. To guarantee the smooth running of the activities, the ITU is divided into three major sectors with each focusing on different aspects of telecommunications and information communication technologies.
The first sector is the Radiocommunication Sector; This sector manages the international radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbit resources and the development of global standards for wireless communications, satellite services and broadcasting.
The second sector is the Telecommunication Standardisation; The formulation of global standards for ICTs is carried out in this sector. The main function is to create technical standards for a wide range of telecommunications such as broadband Internet, next-generation networks, cybersecurity, multimedia, and digital broadcasting.
The third sector is the Telecommunication Development Sector; This is responsible for the equitable and sustainable ICT development escalation worldwide. They bridge the digital divide through supporting easy access and provision of resources for ICT development in developing countries.
How does Uganda benefit from hosting the International Telecommunication Union Regulators symposium? As a general rule, the first benefit of hosting an international conference is the boosting tourism and hospitality industry. The arrival of international delegates stimulates the local economy through spending on hotels, restaurants, transport, and even medical tourism for those who may come with different ailments.
All these economic activities create employment even though it is for a short-term period in most of the cases. However, some aspects remain permanent while others endure long after the event has ended, for example, expansion of accommodation structures, tarmacking roads, street lighting and beautification.
Hosting an International Telecommunication symposium presents an opportunity for Uganda to benefit from knowledge transfer through exchanging ideas during plenaries, sharing best practices and a peep into the future of the industry. Uganda’s young educated population presents the right forum for this kind of symposium which presents capacity-building opportunities, skills and knowledge development.
The symposium will attract Industry players like financiers, innovators, researchers, academicians and entrepreneurs to Kampala, this presents an enormous opportunity to court investors into Uganda’s ICT sector.
The construction of a world-class Convention Centre at Speke Resort Munyonyo is part of the strategy for Uganda to become a prominent player in MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions) globally. The brand-new convention centre has already hosted the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77+China and the 27th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth.
Hosting the global symposium for regulators presents Uganda an opportunity to prove that organising earlier international conferences was not a fluke but that Uganda has the wherewithal to successfully accommodate international gatherings. The symposium further showcases Uganda’s exciting tourism sector, attracts global partnerships in business, improves the country’s international image and boosts the economy through Foreign Direct Investments and job creation.
The pearl of Africa welcomes you our esteemed delegates to the United Nations International Telecommunication Union symposium of regulators 2024 and wishes you a great stay and experience. Enjoy the warm hospitality of Ugandans, vibrant cultures, and the magnificent beautiful landscapes Uganda offers.
