The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)today begins a four-day working group meeting at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijio. Participants were down from the length and breadth of the West Africa Sub-region. The West Africa Telecommunications Regulatory Authority seeks to Enhance Digital Transformation In West Africa; by strengthening connectivity, Security, and Access.
In his Official opening remarks, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Honourable Ousman Bah solely lent on the significance of the convergence noting that The Gambia is proud to host this crucial meeting, which embodies our collective commitment to advancing the digital transformation agenda in West Africa.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Coincidentally, the theme of this meeting perfectly aligns with the vision of our national broadband policy and strategy, which aimed at transforming The Gambia into a knowledge-based economy that thrives on accessible, secure and high-speed broadband ecosystem within an open access regime.
This aligned with the strategic objective of our recovery-focused National Development Plan (RF – NDP) – 2023 -2027, which aims to transform the Gambia into a digital nation.
This is an evident and clear manifestation that The Gambia government recognizes the transformative power of digital technologies and the internet; hence it is fully committed to leading the telecommunications sector towards a higher sustainable development path. “
He emphasized that
Cybersecurity has become a paramount concern and efforts are at advanced stages to ensure a secure ICT ecosystem. The Gambia has formulated and adopted a robust National Cybersecurity Policy & Strategy and Data Policy & Strategy in order to effectively respond to these risks. The Cybercrime Bill and Data Protection Bill he said are also in the process of enactment into law.
‘We are committed to fostering a collaborative spirit among WATRA member states, leveraging our collective expertise, and working towards achieving the common goals.
I strongly believe that, together, we can create a resilient and inclusive digital ecosystem that supports our economic aspirations and improves the lives of our people. “
In his official welcoming ceremony, the Director General of PURA Mr Njoku L Bah it is delightful and symbolic for The Gambia to host this all-important Regional Meeting in Banjul, where minds converge, ideas are shared, and partnerships are forged towards a common goal of advancing telecommunications in our beloved west Africa.
“ As important stakeholders in the reams of telecommunications, we are all preoccupied with the need to improve service delivery in our various jurisdictions by overcoming the existence of bottlenecks hindering Progresso to a certain extent and enhancing affordable communication services, improved cybersecurity, and infrastructural development.”He stressed.
The meeting is ongoing and expected to end on Thursday
