The Southern African Development Community (SADC) approved a report in Luanda on Friday harmonising the regional bloc’s position for the upcoming preparatory stages of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27), to be held in Shanghai, China.
The approved document provides for the establishment of an intergovernmental organisation to be known as SADC Satellite, designated under the code AGLSGS.
The announcement was made by Angola’s Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Information Technologies, Miguel João, during the closing remarks of the Third Preparatory Meeting for the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027, which was held in Luanda from 3 to 7 of this month.
According to the official, the report represents the political and technical outcome of the meeting and will serve as SADC’s negotiating basis at the Third African Preparatory Meeting, scheduled to take place in Tanzania, and at the African Spectrum Management Conference, to be held in Tunisia.
Miguel João said the objectives set for the meeting had been fully achieved, citing the high technical level of the debates and the spirit of compromise shown by the 16 delegations, which succeeded in reconciling distinct national interests on matters of considerable complexity.
He also highlighted that specialists had conducted in-depth studies on fixed satellite services, mobile services, and spectrum allocation for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) — a central issue for the expansion of 5G networks and the preparation of 6G technology.
Miguel João noted that experts had concluded that without harmonised and accessible spectrum, SADC would be unable to connect its rural and remote areas or reduce the cost of data, which he described as one of the main barriers to digital inclusion across the region.
Dick Sono, Deputy Director-General of South Africa’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, called on member states’ regulators to translate spectrum resources into affordable data for citizens.
Sono also highlighted an increase in female participation in the process, from 23 percent to 26 percent, and expressed the aim of reaching 30 percent by the time of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference.
Samkeliso Shongwe, chairman of the Third SADC Preparatory Meeting for WRC-27, said the discussions had been intense and praised the contributions of rapporteurs, chapter coordinators, technical experts and industry representatives, whose input had enabled more informed and considered decisions.
The strategic project will be launched under Angola’s technical leadership through the country’s national communications regulator, INACOM, with the primary objectives of advancing spatial sovereignty, reducing dependence on foreign satellites, and ensuring coverage for television broadcasting, internet connectivity and emergency communications.
The SADC dossier will now advance to the Third African Preparatory Meeting in Tanzania, followed by the 11th African Spectrum Management Conference in Tunisia.
Source: ANGOP / Original article: https://www.angop.ao/noticias/economia/sadc-unifica-posicao-para-wrc-27/
