The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Office for Europe, in collaboration with the European Mediterranean Regulators Group (EMERG) and the Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network (EaPeReg), co-organized a series of six workshops on "Strengthening Broadband Infrastructure and Services across the Europe Region and beyond". These workshops followed the joint declaration signed by these entities during the Global Symposium for Regulators 2023 (GSR23), aiming to further their commitment towards enhanced collaboration in the field of broadband infrastructure and services mapping.
The sixth and final Workshop on "Strengthening Broadband Infrastructure and Services across the Europe Region and beyond" took place on 28 November 2024, part of the 24th EaPeReg Plenary Meeting (27-28 November), in Chișinău, Moldova. The workshop aimed to advance broadband mapping, showcasing case studies, sharing best practices, and exploring new features of mapping tools, including an investment opportunities layer. This collaborative effort between ITU, EMERG, and EaPeReg seeks to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of broadband services across the regions.
This series of workshops were in line with ITU's goal of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 through advancing digital transformation at national, regional, and global level. It recognizes the pivotal role of telecommunications regulators in the Mediterranean area, represented by EMERG, and the regulatory authorities from the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine) under EaPeReg.
The workshops intended to serve as a platform for these regulatory authorities, its members and other relevant stakeholders to share good practices, address challenges related to emerging technologies, and facilitate the creation of potential new features of broadband infrastructure and services mapping tools. This series of workshops were expected to promote harmonization of approaches across the participating regions, thereby enhancing the cooperation in the field of broadband infrastructure and services mapping.
Key areas of discussion during these workshops included:
- Strengthening collaboration in the field of mapping of broadband infrastructure and services
- Identification and sharing of good practices and transfer of know-how.
- Setting up twinning programmes between the concerned countries and regions.
- Examination of potential new features of mapping tools including the investment opportunities layer.
The workshops were open to all relevant stakeholders, including industry representatives, academia, regional and international development agencies, development banks, and organizations interested in contributing to the projects aimed at strengthening national capacities in mapping of infrastructure.
Through these workshops, ITU, EMERG, and EaPeReg aimed to foster collaboration, facilitate knowledge exchange, and ultimately contribute to the development of stronger, more efficient, and more effective broadband infrastructure and services across the regions.
