Communication Minister calls for stronger technical presence in ITU Regional Offices

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has called for a more inclusive and technically strengthened regional presence within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), urging the global body to ensure all its sectors are adequately represented at the regional level.

Speaking at an ITU meeting in Geneva, Mr Nartey George acknowledged the extensive work outlined in reports on the activities of regional and area offices, describing them as impactful across the Union’s six global regions. He commended the ITU for initiatives that directly benefit member states, particularly across Africa.

The Minister highlighted Ghana’s participation in the Digital Financial Services Security Clinics, organised through the African Regional Office in collaboration with the Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau (TSB).

He noted that such engagements provide practical, hands-on training for regulators and play a critical role in strengthening the country’s digital financial ecosystem.

“These are the kinds of capacity-building interventions our membership needs,” he said, urging the ITU to sustain and expand similar programmes.

Despite the progress, Mr Nartey George expressed concern over what he described as an imbalance in the ITU’s regional structure.

According to him, although regional offices were originally designed to deliver development support, rapid global technological advancements now require a more integrated and technically driven approach.

To address this gap, the Minister called for increased involvement from the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) and the Telecommunication Standardisation Sector (ITU-T) in regional operations.

He proposed deploying dedicated technical experts in regional offices, conducting regular sector-specific missions to member regions, and strengthening coordination between ITU bureau directors and regional leadership.

Mr Nartey George also drew attention to key areas requiring urgent focus, including spectrum management, satellite coordination, and preparations towards the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027.

He urged that the ongoing review of the ITU’s regional presence should go beyond development-focused metrics, advocating for a more comprehensive assessment of how effectively regional offices address the technical needs of member states across all three ITU sectors.

The Minister recommended that the 27 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) adopted by the ITU Council in 2025 be applied with this broader perspective.

He reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to engage constructively in shaping reforms to strengthen the ITU’s overall impact across its global membership.