 Hossam Abd El Maoula
National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, Egypt
Dr. Hossam Abd El Maoula, Integrated Systems and Quality Sector Head, ; National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) of Egypt since 2005 brings together four critical understandings to Egypt's telecommunication sector: 1) in-depth understanding of the status and opportunities of ICT in Egypt, 2) a thorough understanding of Multinationals culture and the in-house alliance critical for the assembly of needed resources, 3) a deep understanding of the educational system in Egypt. He is a currently a vice chair for ITU study group 2; Study group 2 is responsible for putting the standardization for international numbering naming and addressing. He is responsible for quality of service; quality of experience and customer satisfaction measurements in Egypt. He is also responsible for the implementation and the administration of the fixed numbering plan in Egypt where the transition from 7 to 8 Digits is done smoothly in the year 2006 without affecting the stability of the market. In the year 2008, he was responsible for introducing the Number Portability in Egypt and since this time, he has been responsible for the administration of Mobile the Number Portability and solving the disputes between the mobile operators. In the year 2008, Dr. Hossam was responsible for introducing and National Mobile Roaming Services, and site sharing for mobile operators. Due to his efforts, NTRA issued and implemented the new Mobile National Numbering plan for Egypt in the year 2010 and also managed a main change in the Egyptian Numbering plan where the Transition from 10 to 11 digits in Mobile Services Numbering Scheme, the change went smoothly through enabling users to use both old and new numbering schemes in parallel for a period of time, thus maintaining the stability of the mobile services. Moreover, Quality of measurements sector in NTRA, under his guidance, succeeded for fighting the illegal traffic in Egypt and as a result of that the international traffic revenue and the national income is increased. Recently, Dr. Hossam takes the responsibility of enhancing the Quality of service ;Quality of experience & customer satisfaction in Egypt. Dr. Hossam Abd El Maoula Saker received the Ph.D. degree from the Electronics and Communications Department, Faculty of Engineering Cairo University in 2003. He is currently on leave from Electronics Research Institute in Egypt (ERI) where he is an Associate Professor in Electronics and Communications department.
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 Susan Nakanwagi
Chair of ITU-T Study Group 2 Regional Group for Africa (SG2RG-AFR)
Susan Nakanwagi is an accomplished professional currently serving as the Manager of Technical Monitoring at the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). In this role, she leads the Technical Monitoring Unit, ensuring the successful implementation of Commission projects funded by the Uganda Communications Universal Service and Access Fund (UCUSAF). Her work focuses on promoting universal access to communication services throughout Uganda. Before her current position, Susan held the role of Manager of Telecom Infrastructure, overseeing critical functions within the communications sector including licensing, emergency communication services, type approval, Quality of Service, infrastructure development and protection as well as management of numbering resource and has spear headed many projects in that area. She holds a Master's degree in Communications Management from the University of Rwanda, a Master's degree in Management Studies from the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), and a Bachelor of Engineering in Telecommunications Engineering from Kyambogo University. Susan currently serves as the Chairperson for the ITU-T SG2 Regional Group for Africa (SG2AFR), a role she has held since 2017. In addition, she has served as the Vice Chairperson of the Working Group 06, which focuses on Communications Numbering Plans, IP Addressing, Service Pricing, and Industry Analysis at the East African Communications Organization (EACO). Susan has also held the position of Chairperson for ITU-T SG2RG-EA and Vice Chairperson for EACO Working Group 7, responsible for Telecom Numbering and Internet Resources Planning, Allocations, and Governance. Susan has participated in the work of the ITU-T and ITU-D and has attended Plenipotentiary Conference (Bucharest, 2022), WTSA 22, and many other international and regional group meetings representing the Uganda administration.
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 Elias Letlape
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), South Africa
Introducing Elias Letlape, the accomplished Manager of Numbering at the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). With an illustrious career spanning over 30 years, Elias brings extensive practical experience in the field of Telecommunications and ICT regulatory affairs in South Africa. Commencing his journey as an Administrative Officer at the Department of Post and Telecommunications in 1994, Elias played a pivotal role in overseeing the licensing of Radio Frequency Licences. His commitment to regulatory excellence continued during his tenure as a Control Administrative Officer at the South African Telecommunications Regulatory Authority from 1998 to 2006, where he managed Radio Frequency Spectrum Licences. From 2006 to 2017, Elias served as a Senior Licensing Officer at ICASA, contributing significantly to shaping the telecommunications landscape through his licensing expertise. In the academic arena, Elias has pursued an illustrious journey, acquiring a wealth of knowledge and qualifications. His educational accomplishments include a Master of Business Administration, Certification in Designing and Implementation of Telecommunication Networks, BA Honours in Public Administration, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration Business Studies, a Bachelor of Theology Honours, a BA in Public Administration and Developmental Studies, a National Diploma in Civil Law Administration, Programme in Project Management, Supply Chain Management, and Programme in Management Development from esteemed institutions such as the University of Pretoria, University of South Africa, and GIBS, among others. Elias pursued diverse training programs as part of his quest for knowledge. These included participation in a Doctoral Research Training Programme, completion of a Technical Writing program, attainment of an ICT Draft Regulation Drafting Certificate, engagement in Managing Effectiveness in the Competitive Telecommunications Environment, exploration of Regulatory and Privatisation Issues in Telecommunications, specialization in IP Network Security for Senior Policy Makers, establishment of an Enabling Regulatory Environment for Cloud Services, in-depth study of Advanced Radio Frequency Spectrum Management in the Civil Sector, practical application of Spectrum Management and Spectrum Monitoring, mastery of Advanced Spectrum Management for Mobile Telecommunications, initiation with an Introduction to Radio Spectrum Monitoring and Measurements, focused learning on 5G Wireless Broadband Communications, and expertise development in 5G and Wi-Fi facilitating Mobile Broadband. Beyond his scholarly pursuits, Elias is an active contributor to various regulatory bodies, representing South Africa in organizations like ECC, CRASA, SADC, ATU, and ITU T-SG2. Currently serving as the Vice Chair for ITU-T SG2 AFR RG. He shoulders crucial responsibilities, including the management of the national numbering plan. Elias is dedicated to ensuring equitable and non-discriminatory access to these resources for qualifying industry participants while striving for efficiency and effectiveness. Simultaneously, he oversees the implementation of number portability, ensuring compliance with the portability regulatory framework by licensees in accordance with national legal instruments. Elias Letlape stands as a visionary and leader in the telecommunications and regulatory landscape, making significant contributions to shaping the industry's future in South Africa and beyond.
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 Ahmed Riad
Senior Director, Strategy and Industry Development, Huawei
Ahmed Riad, a seasoned professional in the ICT sector, possesses over 15 years of diverse international experience that spans digital transformation, innovation, and industry development. With a profound understanding of digital technologies, infrastructure, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and digital business growth, Ahmed's expertise extends across multiple regions and hierarchies. Throughout his illustrious career, Ahmed has worked with multinational corporations and organizations such as Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and presently, Huawei Technologies. In his incumbent role at Huawei, Ahmed orchestrates strategic alliances and molds partnership avenues for Huawei's standardization teams. He also engages robustly with global institutions in the realm of ICT standardization and strategic industry advancement, while simultaneously identifying and interpreting pivotal ICT industry shifts, fostering innovation within Huawei. Prior to his role at Huawei, Ahmed worked at the ITU headquarters in Geneva. Notably, he played a pivotal role in planning and development of the Good Global Summit and leading the AI for Good Innovation Factory. Which is an AI for Good initiative that identified and amplified AI-driven solutions and innovations aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, at ITU Telecom, Ahmed adeptly handled Small and Medium Enterprises innovation initiatives and cultivated partnerships with multiple entities spanning the Middle East and North America. Before his work at ITU, Ahmed exhibited his technical expertise while delivering numerous projects across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia for giants like Nokia Networks and Ericsson. Serving in capacities such as Senior Solution Architect and Senior Technical Project Manager, in the Mobile Broadband sector. Academically, Ahmed holds a Master of Science degree in Telecommunications with Business from the esteemed University College London, UK. And a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Communications and Electronics Systems Engineering from the University of Greenwich.
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