01st October, 2019 Over 70 delegates and experts have convened in Nuku’alofa for the 12th Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Policy and Regulation Forum (PRFP) to address needs of the region in the area of policy and regulation.
The three-day meeting is hosted by the Government of Tonga and was opened by the Minister for MEIDECC Hon Poasi Tei.
Hon Tei said, “Broadband policy is required to nurture and ensures competition and standardization and encourages growth throughout the ICT sector. It is a regulatory framework to maximize the social and economic benefits, encourage further investment and competition in the sector, incorporate international best practice and ensure compliance commitments.”
He also highlighted Tonga’s accomplishments in the ICT sector which include:
- Liberalization of the ICT market to allow competition in mobile and ICT services, lower retail prices and increase coverage
- Launching of the international submarine cable in 2013 and the domestic connection to the outer islands in 2018
- Developing of the Digital Government Strategic Plan (DGSP) 2019-2024 in March 2019 to support the implementation of the e-Government Project
- Drafting the Cybercrime Bill which is currently in-progress to address the possibility of abusing and misusing ICT technology and provide law enforcement officials with necessary tools to investigate abuses of ICT and prosecute perpetrators
- Tonga acceding to the Budapest Convention in 2017
- Separate cluster for communications under the Cluster System of the Natural Disaster Response and Recovery Strategic Plan, and
- Installment of Early Warning Systems throughout the country with meteorological testing equipment to ensure communications resilient during a natural disaster.
Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Secretary General Ms Areewan Haorangsi said, “The programme of PRFP for this year has been designed in line with the five Strategic Pillars of the Strategic Plan of the APT for 2018-2020 considering its relevance to the unique need of the Pacific.”
“Apart for the Strategic Plan of the APT the programmes of this PRFP also bring in the vision of ‘Co-creating Connected Digital Future in the Asia-Pacific’ as agreed by the Asia-Pacific ICT Ministerial Meeting in June in Singapore.”
Haorangsi hoped that the discussions from PRFP-12 will assist in resolving “policy and regulation issues” in the Pacific Island countries, be “transformed into real practice and finally contribute to the sustainable ICT development with safe and trusted environment in the Pacific as envisioned in the Singapore Statement.”
The PRFP-12 programme include high-level policy makers and regulators roundtable on issues and trends in policy and regulation in the region. There will be thematic sessions on topics including digital transformation, digital inclusion, connectivity, telecommunication industry issues, cybersecurity, e-application and disaster management and a closed session for policy makers and regulators to discuss emerging issues in the Pacific.
ENDS
Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications.