Page 8 - SAMENA Trends - June-July 2025

SAMENA COUNCIL ADVOCACY SAMENA TRENDS

SAMENA Council On

Advancing Broadband Development

During the Leaders’ Summit 2025, SAMENA Council and WBBA Sign
Memorandum of Understanding to Advance Regional Broadband

Development and ICT Collaboration

The SAMENA Telecommunications Council standardization, promote best practices, cooperation under the MoU between the
and the World Broadband Association and amplify policy advocacy efforts to SAMENA Council and the WBBA include:
(WBBA) have signed a Memorandum of accelerate digital transformation across Expanding broadband access across
Understanding (MoU), marking the emerging markets. "The MoU marks a underserved regions; supporting
beginning of a strategic collaboration shared commitment between the SAMENA standardization efforts, particularly in
aimed at advancing broadband access, Council and the WEBBA to fostering a broadband customer premise equipment
supporting innovation, and strengthening digitally inclusive region," said Bocar BA, (CPE); harmonizing efforts to promote
policy alignment across the South Asia, CEO of SAMENA Council. "By joining forces broadband-related policies and regulatory
Middle East, and North Africa (SA-ME-NA) with the WBBA, we aim to bring our regional frameworks across the SA-ME-NA region;
region, and beyond. The MoU sets forth a expertise and multi-stakeholder advocating for greater awareness of
framework of mutual cooperation between engagement to the global broadband broadband development issues; and
the two non-profit organizations, both of conversation—promoting collaborative collaborating on global and regional
which play critical roles in shaping the approaches that advance connectivity, industry events and information sharing.
telecommunications and ICT landscape. innovation, sustainability in investments for “The WBBA is delighted to formalize this
Through this partnership, the SAMENA broadband development, greener collaboration with the SAMENA Council,”
Council and WBBA will work together to deployment of broadband technology, and said Martin Creaner, Director General,
foster knowledge exchange, support policy alignment, in general." Key areas of WBBA. “We see tremendous potential in
“We see tremendous potential in working together working together to empower regional
stakeholders, accelerate innovation, and
to empower regional stakeholders, accelerate support digital ecosystem partners in our
innovation, and support digital ecosystem partners efforts to materialize globally harmonized
broadband development. This partnership
in our efforts to materialize globally harmonized is an important step toward unlocking

broadband development. This partnership is scalable impact across emerging digital
economies.” The MoU was signed by the
an important step toward unlocking scalable WBBA’s Chairman of the Board, Dr. Li
impact across emerging digital economies.” Zhengmao, and SAMENA Council’s CEO &
Board Member, Bocar BA, during the
Martin Creaner, Director General, WBBA SAMENA Council Leaders’ Summit 2025.
The MoU represents a statement of shared
intent, reflecting the Parties' commitment
to long-term engagement and coordinated
action, while acknowledging its non-binding
nature. As part of the agreement, the two
organizations will also promote each
other’s initiatives through mutual visibility
in publications, digital platforms, and
participation in industry activities. The MoU
allows for future expansion of the
partnership through supplementary
agreements for specific joint projects or
events. The MoU signing was followed by
both trade associations co-chairing a
broadband roundtable during the SAMENA
Council Leaders’ Summit 2025, titled
“Smarter Broadband: Investment.
Innovation. Intelligence.”
8 JUNE-JULY 2025