Dubai, April 09, 2016– The first GCC meeting for the preparation for the World Radio-communication Conferences (WRC 2019) was recently held from April 3 to 5, 2016 in Dubai to discuss the agenda for the anticipated event. The meetings are of strategic significance as they help to ensure that the stance of all GCC countries are aligned with the event’s agenda which will be tackled later at the Arab Spectrum Management Group (ASMG) meetings. The ASMG meetings aim to identify the Arab countries’ position as one of the six main regions of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).  

The preparatory meeting discussed the agenda of WRC 2019 for the first time and gained initial insights on the GCC countries’ respective concerns. It also agreed on restructuring the team for the current edition (2016-2019) and mechanism of work.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) participated in this GCC Meeting in line with its role of representing the UAE in regional and international ICT-related conferences and collaborating with other GCC countries to unify all standards and criteria in the management and regulations of the radio spectrum. The TRA is committed to fostering mutual cooperation in unifying regulations and policies in order to promote the GCC telecommunication market and benefit consumers who use Radio products and services in the region. As one of the  elected members of the ITU Council since 2006, the UAE contributes to identifying the strategic trends of the Union.

H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, said: “GCC Meeting for WRC-19 preparation is part of efforts to promote effective collaboration and integration with fellow GCC countries to establish robust foundations for the ICT sector in line with the region’s proactive efforts as an influential group on the regional and international landscapes. We are pleased to have hosted this meeting and unified the GCC position regarding the event’s agenda and various international issues, as well as exchanged expertise and best ideas to further advance our ambitious objectives to promote mutual benefits and achievements in the ICT industry. I commend the GCC’s ICT professionals for their efforts and effective participation in shaping the Arab World’s position on various issues which positively affects the radiocommunications segment and the industry as a whole.”

Eng. Khalid Al Awadhi, UAE TRA International Organizations Manager and Chairman of WRC CPM-19 who led the UAE delegation in the first meeting, said: “The Conference Preparatory Meeting of the GCC-based team assigned to prepare for WRC 2019 is of great importance as an initial preparatory forum for discussing the outputs of the previous edition and drafting a comprehensive action plan and mechanism for the coming edition. We have learned a lot of lessons in the past period, having faced many challenges before and during the conference. They have helped enrich the expertise and technical and organizational knowledge of the GCC-based team and other regional groups, which will positively impact the efficiency and success of our participation in the coming edition”.

The Conference Preparatory Meeting’s final outcome is a unified report on the proposals of GCC countries and their final positions for the next conference. The report will be prepared based on the inputs of the participating states and different studies on regulatory, technical, operational and procedural mechanisms to be considered by the conference. It will also include various methods and ideas on ways to achieve the conference’s agenda.