UGANDA TAKES ITS PLACE IN SHAPING AFRICA’S DIGITAL FUTURE AT ATU CONFERENCE

Uganda has officially joined fellow African nations in Abuja, Nigeria, for the 7th Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-26) of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), the continent’s highest decision-making forum for telecommunications and digital transformation. The advance Ugandan delegation, led by Mr Fred Otunnu, Director of Corporate Affairs at the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), yesterday participated in the Special Session of the ATU Administrative Council, marking the start of Uganda’s active engagement in discussions that will shape Africa’s digital future over the next four years.

The Special Session is the final preparatory forum before the plenipotentiary conference. Over two days, Member States review the Union’s achievements, align its Constitution and Convention, and finalise strategic proposals for adoption by ministers and heads of delegation. As ATU Secretary General John Omo observed,

The work completed in this session will significantly influence the integrity of the conference process.

Underscoring the importance of building consensus before key decisions are taken. For Uganda, participation offers an opportunity to influence continental policies shaping digital connectivity, spectrum management, innovation, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and universal access to communications services. It also enables Uganda to champion priorities that support national digital transformation while contributing to a stronger, more integrated African communications sector.

The Conference of Plenipotentiaries brings together ministers, regulators, policymakers, industry leaders, and development partners to set the ATU’s strategic direction and strengthen regional cooperation. This year’s conference comes at a defining moment as Africa seeks to harness digital technologies to drive economic growth, expand trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and accelerate the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Deliberations within the Administrative Council have already underscored the need for Africa to move beyond merely expanding digital infrastructure. Delegates emphasised that real transformation depends on affordable connectivity, digital skills, inclusive digital public infrastructure, and enabling policy and regulatory frameworks that encourage investment, innovation, and the responsible adoption of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. They also stressed the importance of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, recognising their central role in job creation, competitiveness, and economic growth.

The meeting further reaffirmed that stronger regional cooperation is essential in an increasingly complex global environment characterised by geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, climate challenges, and rapid technological change. By working together through the ATU, African countries can strengthen their collective voice, build resilient digital economies, and ensure the continent plays a greater role in shaping global technology and communications policy.

As the plenipotentiary conference formally opens, Uganda is ready to contribute its experience, share its perspectives, and work with fellow Member States to advance a shared vision of a connected, innovative, secure, and inclusive digital Africa. Through active participation in the ATU, Uganda reaffirms its commitment to regional collaboration and to building a communications ecosystem that delivers lasting social and economic benefits for all Africans.