UAE hosts last meeting of Arab Group assigned to prepare for WCIT

The United Arab Emirates, represented by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority hosted here in its headquarters, the third and final meeting of the Arab Group assigned to prepare for the upcoming World Conference on International Telecommunication (WCIT), which will take place in Dubai this December. The was chaired by the Leader of the Group, Engineer Tariq al-Awadi, the Executive Director of TRA Spectrum Department. (12) Arab countries, members of the Arab League, attended and participated in this important meeting. TRA has called for this meeting of the Arab Group in coordination with the Arab League in Cairo to finalize and approve all the Arab joint proposals regarding the agenda of the next WCIT in Dubai and the proposals concerning the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) associated with this mega Conference. The first day, was dedicated for a Regional Coordination Meeting between the Arab countries and other Regional Groups in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which participated in this meeting, including the American Group (CITEL) and the African Group (ATU) in addition to Regional and International organizations and Regional companies such as the (ICANN) and the European Telecommunications Network Operators (ETNO) as well as other private sector companies from the UAE in the Arab Region. Furthermore, the Telecommunications Technical Bureau of Bahrain and representatives of the ITU in Geneva have participated in this meeting. Mohammed Nasser al-Ghanim, Director General of TRA, in his speech stressed the importance of the regulations pertaining to international communications and the significance of the WCIT to take place in Dubai by the end of this year after almost 24 years of its last meeting in 1988 in Australia. Commenting on the event, he said: "The great importance of this Conference lies in the fact that it is seen as a significant event of the telecommunications sector in the history of ITU, because through this important World Conference, the International Telecommunication Regulations will be updated and revised, as these Regulations constitute one of the fundamental international treaties that form the basis of ITU and the foundations of its functions." "The International Telecommunication Regulations are the most important international treaties relevant to the area of communications with 178 signatory countries. These Regulations set the general principles relating to the provision and operation of international communications; facilitating international connectivity and interoperability; supporting coordinated development and effective operation of technical facilities and enhancing the efficiency, usefulness and availability of international telecommunications services," he added. The meeting was focused on understanding the proposals and views of other Regional and International Groups and Organizations that took part in the meeting, and on identifying their views with regard to these Regulations and also with regard to the Conference, its structure and the proposed topics on its agenda.