Page 16 - SAMENA Trends - January 2020

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY SAMENA TRENDS

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY

SAMENA Council at the UN Broadband Commission’s Special
Session in Davos Discussed Perspectives on Private Sector

Priorities Regarding New Approaches to Funding and Investment

of Broadband Networks

SAMENA Telecommunications Council, Session on the sidelines of the Annual cost of broadband, as well as innovative
represented by its CEO Bocar A. Ba and Meeting of the World Economic Forum in policies to finance the rollout of broadband
Chief Economist and Director for Sector Davos, Switzerland. infrastructure to unconnected populations.
Development Imme Philbeck discussed Collaboration among and contribution by
key private sector priorities regarding the The BBCom/WEF joint session, which diverse stakeholders were highlighted as
need for new and innovative approaches brought together the Broadband key to making universal and meaningful
to funding and investment of broadband Commission and the World Economic connectivity a reality for all.
networks to overcome the connectivity Forum communities to examine and
challenge together with high-level identify new financing models for societal The Session included three breakout
government leaders and representatives, impact and engage multiple stakeholders groups to examine in detail issues
regulators, international organizations and in the digital landscape, was held for the concerning (1) Financing for sustainability
leading industry Chief Executive Officers at 6th time on 21 January 2020 and agreed and social impact, (2) Public Private
the UN Broadband Commission’s Special that efforts are needed to lower the Partnerships for Sustainability and (3)
Inclusive Meaningful Connectivity for
a safe digital future, of which the first
group was led by Bocar Ba. Participants
highlighted that existing financing, funding
and investment models no longer support
connecting meaningfully the 4.4 billion
offline population by 2030, requiring new
approaches and solutions to be found.
To this end, a new BBCom Working Group
to be co-chaired by Bocar Ba of SAMENA
Council and Scott Gegenheimer of Zain
Group on new 21st Century Financing
Models for Sustainable Broadband
Development, that will kick-off its work
imminently, has been established. This
group will study and identify options for
consideration to foster innovative funding,
financing and investment strategies, which
can enable and empower different digital
stakeholders to achieve the Commission’s
targets for broadband connectivity and
adoption.

16 JANUARY 2020