8th Sub Sahara Spectrum Management Conference

Event Overview

The 8th Sub-Sahara Spectrum Management Conference took place on 3 – 4 August 2023 at the Yaoundé Conference Centre in Yaoundé, Cameroon, running back-to-back with the APM23-4 meeting. Take a look at the event highlights in our vlog below!

Across 2 days attendees had the opportunity to be involved in discussions on the key spectrum topics for the Sub Sahara region and beyond, through interactive sessions, networking opportunities, an exhibition area and much more.

The conference is part of The Global Spectrum SeriesThe world’s largest collection of regional spectrum policy conferences

Event Day Vlog

Event Photos

Key Themes

Useful Information

Missed anything from last year’s hybrid edition? You can rewatch all of the plenary sessions, as well as the showcase sessions, here.

Practical Information

For further information which may be useful to plan your trip please see the information document here.

APM23-4 meeting

The ATU WRC-23 preparatory meeting will take place after the conference, from 7 – 11 August in the same venue.

Participants may register for the APM23-4 meeting by submitting this registration form, duly completed before 30 July 2023, to [email protected] / [email protected] ([email protected]) / [email protected].

Room Rates

We have reduced accommodation rates available at the conference venue.

To make a booking, please follow this link: Book your group rate for Forum Global

For enquires please contact:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Reduced room rates will be available at the venue for the event dates. Further information on this will appear here shortly. Please check back regularly or email [email protected] to be kept informed.

Forum Global are pleased to be running a fellowship scheme for this event, aiming to support travel & accommodation costs for administrations within the Sub Sahara Region looking to attend the event, subject to the availability of funds.

If you would be interested in applying for this support to attend the conference – please click the below button to download the application form and return it completed by 1 July 2023 to .

For up to date information on entry into Thailand, for measures effective from 1 April 2022, please review this infographic.

More information and FAQs can be found at: https://consular.mfa.go.th/th/content/thailand-pass-faqs-2 and the Thailand Pass application can be made here: https://tp.consular.go.th/.

Please note we will ensure to keep updated with the very latest information, but we do ask all attending delegates to check your local and Thai Government websites for the most up to date requirements.

Participants requiring a visa in order to enter Cameroon are reminded that they must obtain the visa before travelling.

Cameroon have recently introduced the E-visa system, and entry visas to Cameroon will now be done exclusively online by accessing: www.evisacam.cm.

In order to apply for a visa, register and create a login to the dedicated website and follow the 4 steps below in order to be issued an electronic visa:

1 – Online pre-enrolment by the applicant, by creating a user account in the platform, filling out the online form and validating it, after which a notification of confirmation shall be sent to the applicant by SMS or email;

2 – Online payment of requisite fees, using various payment options (MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, Mobile Money, Orange Money, Moov, Wave, Safaricom, Airtel, Vodacom, Africell). The applicant receives a notification of proof of payment by email or SMS;

3 – Processing of the Application. This shall be done by the competent Diplomatic Mission or Consular Office or the closest one, geographically. For applicants in areas far-flung from Diplomatic Missions or those not covered by a Mission, an online visa issuance authorisation, together with a QR Code, shall round off this phase. For those residing in cities with a competent Diplomatic Mission, a notification shall be sent to them via email or SMS, scheduling an appointment to proceed with the biometric enrolment. Either procedure shall be completed within 72 hours from the date of pre-enrolment. This deadline shall be reduced to 24 hours in the case of express visa applications.

4 – Affixing of the visa sticker. It is done either at the entry Border Post for holders of the online visa issuance authorisation, or at the competent Diplomatic Mission or Consular Post for applicants having completed their biometric enrolment at the said Mission or Consular Post. This phase culminates in the affixing of the visa sticker on the applicant’s passport or travel document.

Please kindly check your local and Cameroon Government websites for the most up to date requirements.

Organisers & Partners

Hosted by

cameroon
Updated ITU Logo

Supported by

africa-telecommunications-unionb
ITU square

Platinum Partners

Forum Global (1)
Access Partnership
Coleago
DSA
Ericsson
GSMA 2022
GSOA
Huawei new 2023
Intelsat
Lynk
Meta
Nokia New 2023
Qualcomm
Secretariat
SES 2021 v1
SpaceX

Gold Partners

BNE-wp
Cullen
Ls telcom
ZTE

Knowledge Partners

Aetha 2021 logo
NERA-wordpress-logo

Silver Partners

Shure

Knowledge Partners

Aetha 2021 logo
NERA-wordpress-logo

Speakers Included

H.E. Minister Minette LIBOM Li LIKENG

Minette Libom Li Likeng

Minister of Posts and Telecommunications of Cameroon

Ilham Ghazi

Ilham Ghazi

Head, Broadcasting Services Division
ITU

Kezias MWALE 5 (2)

Kezias Mwale

Technical Coordinator African
Telecommunications Union (ATU)

El Hadjar Abdouramane 240

El Hadjar Abdouramane

Chairman
ATU Working Group on Fixed and Mobile Services for WRC-23

Abraham Oshadami 240

Abraham Oshadami

Director of Spectrum Administration Department
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)

Victor_Kweka_240

Victor Kweka

RF Spectrum Management Engineer
Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority

Basebi

Basebi Moisinyi

Vice-Chairperson at ATU WG4B-Satellite Issues & Deputy Director, Spectrum Management
BOCRA

Zourmba Aboubakar 240

Zourmba Aboubakar

Deputy General Manager
Telecommunications Regulatory Board, Cameroon

Wako Gababo

Gababo Wako

Spectrum Manager
CA Kenya

Jean Jacques Massima 240

Jean-Jacques Massima

Representative for Central Africa and Madagascar
ITU

Elizabeth Migwalla

Elizabeth Migwalla

Vice President International Government Affairs
Qualcomm

frans

Joe Frans

AUB Expert
Broadcast Networks Europe

Elena Scaramuzzi

Elena Scaramuzzi

Head of Global Research
Cullen International

Daniel Obam_resized

Daniel Obam

Special Advisor, Africa Policy & Regulatory Affairs
Huawei

Shreyas Ravi 240

Shreyas Ravi

Associate Director
Secretariat Economists

Scott McKenzie 240

Scott McKenzie

Director
Coleago Consulting

Eiman Mohyeldin 240

Eiman Mohyeldin

Head of Spectrum Standardization
Nokia

Stephane M. Ekome 240

Stephane Mebaley Ekome

Senior Engineer, Spectrum Management and Development EMEA
SES

Nada Abdelhafez 240

Nada Abdelhafez

Head of Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs for Middle East and Africa
Shure

Fargani Tambeayuk 240

Fargani Tambeayuk

Head of Connectivity Policy, SSA
Meta

Kamal Tamawa 240

Kamal Tamawa

Director of Public Policy, SSA
GSMA

Ivan Suarez 240

Ivan Suarez

Director, Space and Spectrum Policy
Access Partnership

Kevin Eisenhauer 240

Kevin Eisenhauer

Lead of Africa
GSOA

Mohaned Juwad 240

Mohaned Juwad

Director Spectrum Policy
Intelsat

Shiv Bakhshi 240

Shiv Bakhshi

Vice President, Industry Relations
Ericsson

Amr Ashour 256

Amr Ashour

Senior Manager, Government & Regulatory Engagement, OneWeb

Eiman-photo

Eiman Mohyeldin

Global Head of Spectrum Standardization, Nokia

Marius Engelbrecht

Marius Engelbrecht

Senior Strategy Consultant, Southern Africa Region Public Relations Department, Huawei

Nada Abdelhafez

Nada Abdelhafez

Head of Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs, MEA region, Shure (on behalf of APWPT)

25_Kamal_Tamawa

Kamal Tamawa

Director of Public Policy, SSA, GSMA

Scott_McKenzie copy

Scott McKenzie

Director, Coleago Consulting

El Hadjar Abdouramane

El Hadjar Abdouramane

Chairman, ATU Working Group on Fixed and Mobile Services for WRC-23

Abraham Oshadami

Abraham Oshadami

Head of Information Technology Department, NCC Nigeria

Fargani Tambeayuk

Fargani Tambeayuk

Head of Connectivity Policy, SSA, Meta

Basebi

Basebi Mosinyi

Vice-Chairperson ATU WG4B-Satellite Issues and Deputy Director, Spectrum Management, BOCRA

Peter Zimri

Peter Zimri

Councillor, ICASA

Agenda

You can view the agenda in your preferred time zone by selecting it from the list below.
Day 1
2023-08-03
Day 2
2023-08-04
09:00 - 09:50
Keynote Presentations
Keynote Presentations image
Minette Libom Li Likeng
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications of Cameroon
Keynote Presentations image
Kezias Mwale
Radiocommunications Coordinator, ATU
Keynote Presentations image
Ilham Ghazi
Head of the Broadcasting Services Division, Radiocommunication Bureau, ITU
Keynote Presentations image
Luc Messi Atangana
Mayor of Yaoundé
09:50 - 11:10
Session 1: Final Preparation for WRC-23 – Finalising regional positions and overcoming the remaining challenges

ATU’s final preparatory meeting for WRC-23 will take place the week after this conference, providing the final opportunity to set common regional positions for the African region across the key agenda items. Ahead of this crucial final meeting, this session will hear from key policymakers and industry leaders who are directly involved in the discussions on the challenges that they see as still remaining, their hopes and aims for WRC-23, and what in their opinion needs to be done in order to ensure that a positive outcome is delivered from the conference for the benefit of African citizens everywhere.
 

  • What common ATU positions have now been agreed on the key agenda items for WRC-23?
  • What were the key outcomes and conclusions from CPM and what perspectives and positions have emerged from other regions?
  • What challenges still remain to be overcome, and what will be the key focus of discussion at the regional preparatory meeting (APM23-4) next week?
  • What are the opinions of different stakeholder groups and sub-regional groups on the positions that have emerged? How can the African delegation now come together to ensure that the key regional objectives from WRC-23 are achieved?
  • With WRC-23 also planning to see the setting of future agenda items to be discussed at WRC-27, what should be the priorities here, and what will likely be the next ‘wave’ of bands and issues to be focussed on?
  • Session 1: Final Preparation for WRC-23 – Finalising regional positions and overcoming the remaining challenges image
    Moderator: Ahmed Boraud
    Head of Department, ARCEP Niger & Chair, ECOWAS
    Session 1: Final Preparation for WRC-23 – Finalising regional positions and overcoming the remaining challenges image
    El Hadjar Abdouramane
    Chairman, ATU Working Group on Fixed and Mobile Services for WRC-23
    Session 1: Final Preparation for WRC-23 – Finalising regional positions and overcoming the remaining challenges image
    Victor Kweka
    RF Spectrum Management Engineer, Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority
    Session 1: Final Preparation for WRC-23 – Finalising regional positions and overcoming the remaining challenges image
    Daniel Obam
    Special Advisor, Africa Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Huawei
    Session 1: Final Preparation for WRC-23 – Finalising regional positions and overcoming the remaining challenges image
    Kamal Tamawa
    Director of Public Policy, SSA, GSMA
    Session 1: Final Preparation for WRC-23 – Finalising regional positions and overcoming the remaining challenges image
    Stephane Mebaley Ekome
    Global Spectrum & Regulatory Policy, GSOA
    Session 1: Final Preparation for WRC-23 – Finalising regional positions and overcoming the remaining challenges image
    Martha Suarez
    President, DSA
    The response from other regional groups

    Key policymakers involved with the preparation for WRC-23 in other regions will listen in to the panel discussion above and give their own key takeaways and thoughts.

    The response from other regional groups image
    Karim Hassine
    Representative, ASMG
    11:10 - 11:40
    Morning Break
    11:40 - 12:45
    Session 2: The future of the 470-694 MHz band – maximising the socio-economic value for Africa

    The issue of the future use of the 470-694 MHz UHF band is seen as one of the most difficult and challenging agenda items to be discussed at WRC-23. No provisional regional position has yet been agreed by ATU members, and next week’s CPM23-4 is set to be crucial in setting the future shape of the band. With positions across the rest of region 1 split, with Europe advocating ‘no change’ and a continuation of priority for terrestrial broadcast in the band, and the Arab Region favouring a co-primary mobile allocation in the band, the final decision from Africa could be critical in the overall direction of discussions at WRC-23. Against this backdrop, this session will hear from key stakeholders on their vision on the future of the band, and discuss the best way forward to maximise value for stakeholders throughout Africa.
     

  • What is the current status of discussions on the 470-694MHz band in Africa as we head into next week’s crucial CPM23-4 meeting?
  • What positions are being seen elsewhere in region 1?
  • What are the key arguments being put forward by key industry stakeholders such as IMT, broadcast and PMSE?
  • What would be the impact for these sectors if the decision at WRC-23 goes against them?
  • What are the challenges associated with coexistence of DTT and PMSE users with mobile industry in the band?
  • To what extent could emerging new technologies and standards have the potential to help to make sharing of this kind a possibility either now or in the future?
  • Where does the balance lie between the delivery of a coordinated approach and taking account of national differences? How important is it that a harmonised decision on the future of the band is reached both across Africa and the rest of region 1?
  • Session 2: The future of the 470-694 MHz band – maximising the socio-economic value for Africa image
    Moderator: Zourmba Aboubakar
    Deputy General Manager, Telecommunications Regulatory Board, Cameroon
    Session 2: The future of the 470-694 MHz band – maximising the socio-economic value for Africa image
    Basebi J.Mosinyi
    Vice-Chairperson at ATU WG4B-Satellite Issues and Deputy Director, Spectrum Management, BOCRA
    Session 2: The future of the 470-694 MHz band – maximising the socio-economic value for Africa image
    Eiman Mohyeldin
    Global Head of Spectrum Standardization, Nokia
    Session 2: The future of the 470-694 MHz band – maximising the socio-economic value for Africa image
    Joe Frans
    AUB Expert, Broadcast Networks Europe
    Session 2: The future of the 470-694 MHz band – maximising the socio-economic value for Africa image
    Nada Abdelhafez
    Head of Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs for Middle East and Africa, Shure
    Session 2: The future of the 470-694 MHz band – maximising the socio-economic value for Africa image
    Bashir Gwandu
    Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, National Agency for Science & Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI)
    12:45 - 13:40
    Lunch
    13:40 - 14:45
    Session 3: Decision time on the upper 6GHz band – maximising the benefit of this high value spectrum

    Discussions are still continuing at pace on the future use of the upper 6GHz band and on whether mobile should be given co-primary status in the band or whether it should be made available on an unlicenced basis. A number of very different perspectives are being seen in different countries across region 1, and votes from African nations are set to play a big part in the decision on the future of the band that will be taken at WRC-23. Ahead of the crucial final regional preparatory meeting for WRC-23 which will take place next week, this session will look at the respective positions that are being taken by both the IMT and unlicenced communities on the best future use of the band, at the status across regulators and countries in the region, and at the best approach for the use of this vital spectrum to ensure that its value is maximised for the citizens of Africa.
     

  • What positions are emerging for the use of the 6GHz band in countries across Africa? How can its socio-economic benefits be best maximised across both developed and developing countries?
  • What are the positions in other parts of region 1 and globally?
  • How important is it that a harmonised approach is achieved? Given the different positions that are being seen, to what extent is it likely that this can be achieved across Africa, region 1 and globally?
  • What are the main points being made by the IMT and WiFi communities on why their position offers the best socio-economic value for the use of the band?
  • What would be the impact for the development of IMT and WiFi if the technologies are not able to access the spectrum that they hope for in the upper 6GHz band?
  • Is there a solution that would ensure that sufficient spectrum in the band is available for both WiFi and IMT users?
  • Session 3: Decision time on the upper 6GHz band – maximising the benefit of this high value spectrum image
    Moderator: Ilham Ghazi
    Head, Broadcasting Services Division, ITU
    Session 3: Decision time on the upper 6GHz band – maximising the benefit of this high value spectrum image
    Tabi Elias Mbi
    Director of Frequency Management, Telecommunications Regulatory Board, Cameroon