Digital regulation for the Africa region

This five-day training course is primarily based on the ITU/World Bank digital regulation platform and the ITU FCDO universal access and service financing efficiency toolkit with a focus on the following aspects: digital transformation strategies, regulatory governance, evidence-based decision-making, regulatory sandboxes, competition and economics (market analysis), infrastructure sharing and universal access and service financing efficiency.

This training course aims to examine specific aspects of digital regulation to enhance participants’ further knowledge of the issues at stake. Therefore, the training course does not provide an in-depth analysis of every regulatory aspect of digital regulation. Still, it enables participants to get a deeper understanding and greater knowledge of specific policy and regulation aspects in a digital world.

The training will be organized by ITU in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank, as part of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) project funded by Saudi Arabia on assistance in telecommunication/ICTs, and with financial support of the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The training is divided into a two-day online instructor led training and a three-day in person training. This training will be conducted in English.

Target population

The training is designed for senior government decision-makers, ICT policymakers, senior managers from ICT/Telecommunications regulators, and other relevant regulatory agencies dealing with regulatory affairs in the Africa region.

Entry requirements

Qualifications or experience needed to participate in this training course:

• Participants should be responsible for ICT/digital policy and regulation in their countries.
• A working knowledge of English is a prerequisite for participating in this training course.

Number of available places for the cohort: maximum 50, with a maximum of 2 seats per country (apart from host country)

Learning outcomes

Participants will gain deeper policy and regulatory insights into the digital ecosystem, enabling them to better navigate digital transformation’s challenges while fostering universal access and service financing efficiency, safeguarding users and fostering competitive environments.

They will also examine the importance of collaborative regulation approaches and gain knowledge of the latest regulatory developments and global trends.

(For participants with a fellowship from IsDB: development of concept notes for projects related to promoting interconnection and access regulation, promoting universal access to ICT services, quality of service, promotion of competition and market analysis, infrastructure sharing, and others).

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

• Examine the different roles and responsibilities in the digital ecosystem
• Summarize the evolution of regulation, and universal service financing mechanisms and how the digital environment affects and redefines markets, policy and regulatory frameworks, businesses, and consumers.
• Explore the regulatory issues at stake in the digital environment to be better equipped to respond to the fast-changing digital environment,
• Outline the need for collaborative governance, agile regulation for innovation, access for all, public funding of universal access and services, and what needs to change to better assess how this applies to national circumstances.