Page 22 - SAMENA Trends - June-July 2025

SAMENA COUNCIL ADVOCACY SAMENA TRENDS

SAMENA Council On

Inclusive Investment

SAMENA Council Champions Collaborative Innovation and Inclusive
Investment at WSIS 2025

Speaking at the WSIS 2025 Partner’s
Insight Session on Collaborative Innovation
Ecosystems, Mr Bocar BA, CEO of
SAMENA Telecommunications Council and
Broadband Commissioner, issued a strong
call to action:

“Everyone who benefits from a network
should help finance it.”

The session spotlighted the urgent need
for shared responsibility in broadband
investment and emphasized how
collaborative ecosystems can close the
connectivity gap, empower MSMEs, and
fast-track the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).

Key takeaways from SAMENA Council’s
intervention:
• Broaden the funding pool “Partnerships are no longer a ‘nice to have’—they are
The Universal Broadband Financing
Framework, championed by the UN the operating system of inclusive, sustainable digital
Broadband Commission, calls for a multi- transformation,” concluded Mr BA. “We must widen
stakeholder investment model. Cloud
platforms, content providers, and energy the circle of investors, harmonize the regulatory envi-
players must co-invest alongside telcos ronment, and put people at the heart of every digital
and governments to fairly distribute the
burden of last-mile costs. deployment.”
• Prioritize MSMEs
Micro-, small-, and medium-sized underserved regions. This collaboration position: collaborative ecosystems must
enterprises make up 90% of global also supports the ITU-GSMA 45% be inclusive, standards-based, and people-
businesses, yet face disproportionately emissions-reduction target. first.
high bandwidth costs and weak cloud • Trust and skills must keep pace
access. According to the Broadband With 48% of users exposed to online “Partnerships are no longer a ‘nice to
Commission’s Working Group Report, harassment (OECD), there’s a clear have’—they are the operating system of
affordable connectivity can boost MSME mandate for safety-by-design systems inclusive, sustainable digital
sales by 85% and reduce costs by 81%. and scalable digital skills programs. transformation,” concluded Mr BA. “We
• Cross-border collaboration is critical Innovation without protection will must widen the circle of investors,
Panelists underscored the importance of undermine inclusion. harmonize the regulatory environment, and
open standards, harmonized regulation, Voices from South Africa, Kenya, the put people at the heart of every digital
and joint R&D to accelerate 5G and FWA African Telecommunications Union, and deployment.”
roll-outs, especially in land-locked and ZTE aligned with SAMENA Council’s

22 JUNE-JULY 2025