Page 4 - SAMENA Trends - June-July 2025

EDITORIAL SAMENA TRENDS

Purposeful Investment in the Digital Future

The conversations taking place across the Association. This partnership brings together
global digital ecosystem, from Tashkent to regional insight and global influence,
Dubai to Geneva, are increasingly aligned on establishing a foundation for coordinated
one vital principle: the future of connectivity action on broadband development.
must be anchored in inclusion, collaboration, Emphasis was placed on harmonized
and long-term purpose. The mission is no regulation, sustainable investment, and
longer simply to build faster or broader greener deployment practices. These efforts
networks. It is to build future-proof digital aim to advance not only infrastructure goals
economies where digital transformation but environmental and social ones as well.
delivers meaningful change for all.
Central to every discussion that the Council
At GSMA M360 Eurasia 2025 in Tashkent, organizes or supports, is the belief that
the message was clear. Investment must digital transformation must reflect shared
follow purpose. That purpose is equity, values. The digital economy must be
resilience, and shared digital prosperity. intelligent, inclusive, and sustainable. Its
Digital progress must be judged not solely foundation must be trust earned through Bocar A. BA
Chief Executive Officer
by the speed of deployment or innovation, long-term commitments, not short-term & Board Member
but by the depth of its impact on people and declarations. Progress must serve the public SAMENA Telecommunications
communities. It is not infrastructure alone good, not simply technological ambition. Council
that defines advancement, but how that National agendas must align with regional
infrastructure uplifts lives. strategies, and emotional intelligence must
develop alongside digital capability. can coexist. Strategic investment must
Policy and governance are equally critical. serve both economic goals of countries
During the ITU’s TDAG 25 sessions, a At WSIS 2025, SAMENA Council reinforced as well as socio-economic development
strong call was made by the SAMENA the urgent need for inclusive investment and of all demographics.
Council to strengthen public and private collaborative innovation. Achieving universal
collaboration in shaping future-ready connectivity will require a wider circle of The time for statements has passed.
frameworks. Regulatory models must be investors, alignment of priorities across What is needed now are enduring
inclusive, adaptive, and informed by the governments and industry, and people- partnerships, aligned policies, and
combined experience of both sectors. The centered policy design. This message was investments that prioritize human
road to meaningful connectivity will not be brought into sharper focus at WSIS Leaders outcomes. Technology alone will not
paved by governments or industry alone, TalkX 2025, where the concept of a dignity deliver inclusion. It is people, working
but by collective leadership across borders, gap was introduced. With more than 2.6 together with purpose and vision, who
sectors, and institutions. billion people still offline, the digital divide is will define the digital future.
not just a matter of access. It is a barrier to
The SAMENA Council Leaders’ Summit opportunity, voice, and self-determination. The responsibility is collective. The
2025 reflected strongly on this collective Connectivity must be treated as a right, opportunity is historic. There is a lot that
responsibility. A major milestone to this not a reward. The ongoing work of the UN our Industry can achieve within itself
effect was marked with the signing of a Broadband Commission and models like the and in collaboration with other industries
Memorandum of Understanding between the Universal Broadband Financing Framework and sectors. The SAMENA Council is
SAMENA Council and the World Broadband demonstrate that conscience and capital there to assist in all ways possible.

4 JUNE-JULY 2025