The year 2024 promises to be a whirlwind of activity for the PRIDA project. A comprehensive and diverse set of activities are lined up, spanning various technological domains and aiming to bolster spectrum expertise across Africa. Let’s take a glimpse into the rich tapestry of events set to unfold under the PRIDA project umbrella.

With an extensive range of studies, technical assistance programs, workshops, and training sessions, PRIDA aims to empower African regulators in spectrum management advancements. The project not only focuses on technical aspects like spectrum management and broadband development but also emphasizes capacity building through workshops tailored for specific needs.

PRIDA’s dedication to fostering a digitally empowered Africa is exemplified through its commitment to bridging the digital divide, enhancing regulatory frameworks, and facilitating skill development across spectrum management. These activities are poised to contribute significantly to the technological evolution of the African continent, fostering innovation, and driving sustainable development.

Stay tuned for updates and insights into the impactful outcomes of these initiatives as the year unfolds.

The ITU PRIDA project managed is contributing to promote communication services across Africa. To achieve this, a series of events and initiatives are planned, such as regional training workshops, technical assistance missions, and networking events. The PRIDA project is also organising seminars and roundtables to facilitate discussion, study and knowledge-sharing among experts and stakeholders in the field.

At ITU, we understand the importance of keeping our beneficiaries countries informed about the activities that remain to be done.

The PRIDA Project team wants to provide an idea of the calendar period of these activities. By giving advance notice, countries can plan ahead and ensure that they are able to participate in the activities that are most relevant to them.

By putting these activities online, we hope to encourage more beneficiary countries to participate in the PRIDA project and benefit from the resources and expertise available. These activities certainly will help to enhance the regulatory capacity of African countries.

The Prida implementation plan lays out a comprehensive roadmap to unleash the potential of cutting-edge technologies.

Activities planned in the Prida implementation plan:

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Mr. Jimmy-Christel NGOMA,

ITU-PRIDA Project Manager

Email : jimmy-christel.ngoma@itu.int

Tel : +251 97 607 3861

Mr. Pierre Berendes,

ITU PRIDA Communication Consultant

Email : pierre.berendes@itu.int

The PRIDA project is organizing a training program for trainers on the Harmonized Calculation Method for Africa (HCM4A) agreement’s administrative and technical procedures. The purpose of this five-day workshop is to equip trainers with the content of the agreement so that they can explain it to regulators and use it easily.

The HCM4A agreement’s main objective is to create cross-border frequency coordination and a tool to prevent and solve radio interference across borders. To date, 42 African countries have signed the agreement, and its success requires deep knowledge and understanding of its administrative and technical procedures.

The training will be held in Kenya from February 28 to March 4, 2023, and will be led by two experts who drafted the HCM4A agreement : Daniel Obam, Chairman of the Radiocommunication Advisory Group (RAG) at ITU from Kenya, and Abdouramane El Hadjar, Chief of service in the Department of Planning and Telecommunications Studies from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in Cameroon.

Participants will be taught the administrative and technical procedures for cross-border frequency coordination, data exchange in the land mobile and fixed services, determination of correction factor for permissible interference field strength, propagation curves, measurement procedures, antenna diagrams, and administrative procedures for coordinating a station, notifying an assignment, assigning frequencies for temporary use, changing technical characteristics, and evaluating coordination requests.

By the end of the training, participants should have a comprehensive understanding of the HCM4A agreement’s administrative and technical procedures and be able to train others.

The training of trainers is an essential step towards the successful implementation and adoption of the Harmonized Calculation Method for Africa (HCM4A) for cross-border frequency coordination. All participants will acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively implement the HCM4A agreement in their respective sub-regions and duplicate it in countries. This training is an essential step toward the successful implementation of the HCM4A agreement in Africa.

A Meeting to discuss ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) harmonisation in Africa, how to monitor and evaluate the progress and way forward to better adapt Africa policy and regulatory environment to the challenges of digital transformation has taken place in Addis Ababa this week.

The PRIDA Continental Meeting on “ICT harmonization in Africa: How to monitor and evaluate it? “brought together more than One Hundred Forty (140) participants, including Experts and Senior Government Officials from over fifty (50) African Countries as well as representatives from the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Regional Association of Regulators and the African Telecommunication Union (ATU) in addition to representatives of ICT private sector and partners, the European Union, inclAuding the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

In his opening remarks, Mr. Thomas Huyghebaert, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to the African Union, recalled that the initiative is a key flagship of the AU (African Union) – EU (European Union) cooperation on digitalisation and underlined its importance and potential to boost the digital transformation of the continent, also benefitting from the exchange of experience between the two Unions.

On behalf of the AU Commission Mr. Moctar Yedaly, Head of Information the Society Division, welcomed the participants to the meeting and thanked them for the commitment to support the PRIDA initiative as a cornerstone for the creation of favourable conditions for the development of African digital market. He recalled the role and mandate of the AU Commission in harmonising policies and coordinating regional initiatives as key factors for enabling development and achieving continental integration as per the Agenda 2063 aspirations.

Mr. Yedaly emphasized the importance of the Policy and Regulatory Initiative for Digital Africa (PRIDA) as an enabler of the Africa Digital Transformation Agenda. The meeting has been a great opportunity for African governments and regional organisations to assess current and past harmonisation initiatives, identify trends and gaps of policy and regulatory approaches both at national, regional and continental levels. The meeting has also explored possibilities for reforms and improvements towards achieving appropriate regulatory responses to foster the digital transformation of Africa society and economy as well as harmonization methodology and related Monitoring and Evaluation System.

African experts have identified common priority areas for African countries to be addressed under PRIDA initiative and adopt a two-year roadmap to enhance harmonization of ICT/telecommunications policies, legislative and regulatory frameworks across Africa in such a manner as to allow their monitoring and evaluation. The meeting has been a great opportunity for African governments and regional organisations to assess current and past harmonisation initiatives, identify trends and gaps of policy and regulatory approaches both at national, regional and continental levels. The meeting has also explored possibilities for reforms and improvements towards achieving appropriate regulatory responses to foster the digital transformation of Africa society and economy as well as harmonization methodology and related Monitoring and Evaluation System.

“PRIDA” stands for “Policy and Regulation Initiative for Digital Africa”. It is a joint initiative of the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that aims at enabling the African continent to reap the benefits of digitalisation, by addressing various dimensions of broadband demand and supply in Africa and by building the capacities of African stakeholders in the Internet Governance space. 

The three years initiative (2018 – 2022) is supported by the EU-funded Pan African Programme, with a specific envelope of 7.5 Mo€, and a contribution to the African Union Budget to the level of up to 1 Mo€ per year.

For media enquires contact:

Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of Information Division, +2519113611, e-mail yamboue@africaunion.org

Mr.Stephen Kwaku Darko| Information and Communications Officer, Directorate of
Information and Communication, African Union Commission | Tel: +251(0) 953406832 |
E-mail: DarkoS@africa-union.org

For more information, contact:

Ms. Souhila Amazouz, Project Manager – ICT Policy & Regulation
E: SouhilaA@africa-union.org
Technical Assistance (consortium GFA-CARSA-Research ICT)

For further information contact Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union
Commission I E-mail: dic@africa-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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A two-day workshop to discuss and validate the Prototype of the Policy and Regulation Initiative for Digital Africa (PRIDA) Digital platform, which aims to serve as a secured online space for African Experts and Policy makers to undertake consultations and exchange of best practices on digital policy issues that engage African nations at international level organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) Department of Infrastructure and Energy.

Digital Platform Validation Workshop brought together more than Sixty (60) participants, including PRIDA focal points and experts from over fifty (38) African Countries as well as representatives from the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Regional Association of Regulators and the African Telecommunication Union (ATU) in addition to the Internet Governance conveners representing Africa five sub regions as well as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – Regional Office for Africa.

The workshop presented an opportunity for open discussions and consultations among African experts to gather feedback and contributions on the proposed Prototype and modules of the PRIDA online platform in order to agree on the final design before starting its implementation and operationalization.

During the workshop experts discussed the importance of the online platforms in the global digital policy development and digital cooperation as the tools for sharing best practices, learning, communicating and more importantly building common positions.Experts agreed on the best and speedy way for African policy makers to work towards the creation the ecosystems and related regulatory frameworks to support the operationalization of the PRIDA Digital Platform.

On behalf of the AU Commission Mr. Moctar Yedaly, Head of Information the Society Division, welcomed the participants to the meeting and thanked them for the commitment to support the implementation of PRIDA project as a continental initiative that aims at achieving the appropriate and efficient regulatory response that facilitates the development of safe and secured African cyber space and a consolidated continental digital market. He emphasized the critical role of such continental online platform to connect experts, to enhance Digital Cooperation, and to provide continuous trainings and updates on emerging digital issues to AU Member States and Regional Organisations. Mr. Yedaly further emphasized the importance of PRIDA digital platform to develop Africa Common positions on Internet Governance, Digital Cooperation and relevant digital policy matters.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Andrew Rugege – Regional Director for Africa – International Telecommunication Union, recalled the importance of Radio spectrum as the cornerstone for enhancing Broadband connectivity in Africa, He underlined the potential of PRIDA project to achieve efficient and harmonized spectrum utilization across the continent.”PRIDA” stands for “Policy and Regulation Initiative for Digital Africa”. It is a joint initiative of the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that aims at enabling the African continent to reap the benefits of digitalisation, by addressing various dimensions of broadband demand and supply in Africa and by building the capacities of African stakeholders in the Internet Governance space.

The PRIDA digital platform aims to become a continental virtual space that serves as one space for all national, regional and continental related ICT Policies, Legislations and Regulations. It will be the tool to support harmonisation of these policies and regulation as well as a mechanism to collect ICT & Internet data to undertake statistics to monitor and evaluate the progress to truly reflect African countries realities with regard to broadband penetration and preparedness to digitalisation.

The three years initiative (2018 – 2022) is supported by the EU-funded Pan African Programme, with a specific envelope of 7.5 Mo€, and a contribution to the African Union Budget to the level of up to 1 Mo€ per year.

For information related to PRIDA workshop, contact:

Ms. Amazouz Souhila | Senior Radio Transmission and Broadcasting Officer, Infrastructure and
Energy Department | E-mail: SouhilaA@africa-union.org

Media inquiry Contacts:

Ms. Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of Information Division, Tel: +251911361185, E-mail:yamboue@yahoo.com