DOT-COM Activity: Middle East Region - Two Workshops and a Meeting for Arab Regulators and the Telecommunications Regu
DOT:dot-GOV
Country: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, West Bank/Gaza
Funder(s): USAID/ANE
Short Description: USAID/ANE and USAID/Jordan funded two workshops and a meeting to support the development of each organization and providing training on telecommunications topics.
Phase/Type of Activity: Buy-in or Incremental Funding Status: Completed
Start date: January 01, 2004 End Date: June 01, 2004
Partners:
Person(s) to contact
Full Description: USAID/ANE and USAID/Jordan funded two workshops and a meeting to support the development of each organization and providing training on telecommunications topics. dot-GOV provided consultants and technical assistance to these workshops and concluded a subcontract to iJordan for logistics and workshop organization. The events were: Arab Telecommunications Regulators Association (AICTRN) Annual Meeting; Arab Regional Alliance of Information Technology Associations (ARAITA) Strategic Planning workshop; and the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Jordan (TRC) Professional Development Workshop. The ARAITA strategic planning workshop achieved the formation of an effective regional network; development a 19 point action plan; and signing a five- country Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for further cooperation between Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco, Egypt, and Palestine (Syria signed the MOU prior to the workshop but could not attend).
Follow-on assistance is planned for the next workshop in Greece prior to the WITSA World Congress in May 2004. The AICTRN Annual Meeting focused on common problems encountered by regulatory authorities and developing interventions to address these issues; designing a cohesive regional network structure; the successful transition of Secretary General Leadership from Algeria to Jordan; and allowing USAID to provide technical assistance during the subsequent workshop organized by the TRC. Follow-on assistance to the AICTRN meeting was planned for Egypt for 2005. The Professional Development Workshop was organized by the TRC and included attendees from the ARAITA and AICTRN. This workshop provided training on regulatory topics such as: interconnection, spectrum management, universal service, enforcement and dispute resolution, ethics and conflicts of interest, and capacity building.
Core funding for the DOT-COM Alliance is provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture & Trade, Office of Infrastructure and Engineering (EGAT/OI&E), Office of Education (EGAT/ED), and Office of Women in Development (EGAT/WID), under the terms of Award numbers: GDG-A-00-01-00009-00, dot-GOV; GDG-A-00-01-00014-00, dot-ORG; GDG-A-00-01-00011-00, dot-EDU.