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Programme

Sixth Regional Workshop for Africa on "Standardization of future networks: What opportunities for Africa?"
Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire, 26 – 27 March 2018

Contact: tsbevents@itu.int

Day 1, 26 March 2018

​08:30 - 09:30Registration
​09:30 - 10:40​Opening Ceremony

Welcome Address 

Opening Remarks
Dr. Rim Belhassine-Cherif, Tunisie Télécom, SG13 Vice-chair: "SG13 introduction and workshop objectives"
[ Biography I Abstract I Presentation ]

​10:40 - 11:10Keynote Presentation
Presenter: Dr. Leo Lehmann, SG13 Chairman [ Biography I Presentation ]
Title: “The position of ITU-T Study Group 13 in global 5G Standardization: Softwarization, Fix Mobile Convergence and Data Aware Networking”
​11:10 - 11:30Tea / Coffee Break
​11:30 - 13:00​​Session 1:  ITU-T SG13 Standardization & Africa-related involvement

This session will discuss the main issues and challenges that African Countries are facing to participate to the international standardization works and will present some proposals in order to increase the involvement of Developing Countries in general and African countries in particular, in the standardization processes and the ITU-T activities, mainly SG13 activities, in the objective to bridge the standardization gap between developed and developing countries.

Moderator: Mr. Elliot Kabalo, ZICTA, Zambia [ Biography ]


Q&A
​13:00 - 14:30 ​Lunch Break
​14:30 - 16:30 Session 2: Standardization Hot Topics 1, IMT-2020

This session will present the main achievements of SG13 in IMT-2020 standardization and its ongoing related standardization work while giving an overview on the ITU-T future plan (but not limited to ITU-T) in relation with IMT-2020 infrastructures and applications. This session will also discuss the current IMT-2020 technical issues from the industry's perspective and will focus on the requirements of African countries (including ongoing work of Q5/13) regarding this topic. 

Moderator: Mr. Simon Bugaba, Uganda Communications Commission, Uganda [ Biography ]

​ 
Q&A
16:30 - 16:45Tea / Coffee Break
​16:45- 18:15 Session 3: Standardization Hot Topics 2, Machine Learning for Future Networks

This session will give an overview on the concept of Machine Learning in the context of future networks and the related technologies, use cases and platforms, while articulating visions on the current requirements and possible future standardization work on this topic.

Moderator: Mr. Nicholas Muzhuzha, POTRAZ, Zimbabwe [ Biography ]

Q&A
18:15Closure of Day 1
19:00Social event kindly hosted by ARTCI

 *To be confirmed

Day 2, 27 March 2018

​08:30 - 09:30Registration
​09:30 - 09:40Brief summary of Day 1 discussion & programme of day 2

(Mr. Kevin YAO N’Guessan, Head of Technology Watch and Standardization Service, ARTCI, Côte d’Ivoire) [ Biopgraphy ]
​09:40 - 11:10Session 4: Standardization Hot Topics 3, Cloud Computing and Big Data
The objective of this session is to highlight the main achievements in technologies, services and standards related to cloud computing and Big Data as well as the major current and future activities of SG13 and ITU-T on these topics.

Moderator: Mr. Simon Bugaba, Uganda Communications Commission, Uganda [ Biography ]

Q&A
​11:10 - 11:30Tea / Coffee Break
​11:30 - 13:00​​Session 5 : Standardization Hot Topics 4, Trust and Technology Convergence
The objective of this session is to present the main updates regarding SG13 ongoing and future standardization work in the field of Trusted ICT infrastructures and services and to highlight the requirements of African Countries in this field. A specific focus will be given on the role of Trust in technology convergence as well as the other issues related to this technology convergence concept which could be addressed by standards.

Moderator: Dr. Leo Lehmann, SG13 Chairman [ Biography ]
Q&A
​13:00 - 14:30 ​Lunch Break
​14:30 - 16:00 Session 6: Experiences & Successful Stories from Africa
This session will present some experiences and successful stories of different African telecommunication stakeholders in the workshop's topics, with focus on the efforts made by these stakeholders to initiate standardization activities on these topics or to get involved in the existent standardization activities of the ITU-T or other SDOs.

Moderator: Dr. Rim Belhassine-Cherif, Tunisie Télécom, SG13 Vice-chair [ Biography ]

Q&A
​16:00 - 16:20 ​Tea / Coffee Break
16:20 - 17:10​Panel Discussion: SG13 hot topics standardization and Africa’s vision
This panel will discuss the importance of the SG13 hot topics, debated during the workshop, for African countries and the role of standards to facilitate and increase the adoption of the related cutting-edge technologies in these countries. Besides, this panel will present the vision of African Countries regarding the future standardization activities on these topics and their proposals for new work items which respond to their needs.

Moderator: Dr. Leo Lehmann, SG13 Chairman [ Biography ]
17:10 - 17:30​

Closing Session 

  • Presentation of results and final summary on lessons learnt during the workshop (in order to prepare a communiqué for the workshop including the African requests) (Mr. Simon Bugaba, Uganda Communications Commission, Uganda) [ Biography ]
  • Closure of the Workshop (Dr. Leo Lehmann, SG13 Chairman [ Biography ] and Mr. Bilé Diéméléou, CEO of ARTCI)

 *To be confirmed