CRA Attends the World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2019 in Geneva

A high-level Qatari delegation headed by His Excellency Mohammed Ali Al-Mannai, President of the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), is attending the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2019. The forum will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 8-12 April 2019, under the theme “Information and Communication Technologies for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals”. The core aim of the forum is to align the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that covers a wide range of social and economic development issues worldwide with WSIS Action Lines, to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.

The forum will include high-level policy sessions, ministerial round tables and more than 100 workshops on various topics including artificial intelligence and data privacy, blockchain and data protection, the role of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in academia, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, smart cities, and fifth generation (5G) technologies. An exhibition will also be held on the sidelines of the forum alongside a WSIS Prizes ceremony, which aims to provide recognition to the projects that succeeded in implementing development-oriented strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as an enabler of the development.

CRA ensures to attend and participate in international seminars, conferences and forums, at the aim of enhancing partnerships and staying up to date with the latest developments and international best practices in the field of ICTs. That provides additional valuable inputs during CRA’s development of innovative regulatory frameworks, which ensures ICT sector progress for the benefit of consumers and stakeholders in the State of Qatar, and ensure contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals 2030, on both local and global levels.

This year WSIS Forum is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its establishment, an event that represents the world's largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for development’ community. More than 30 international organizations and unions are co-organizing WSIS 2019, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Universal Postal Union (UPU), The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and others. More than 3,000 participants will attend the forum from over 150 countries around the world, representing multi-stakeholders including government, civil society, private sector, academia and international organizations. WSIS provides the multi-stakeholders with an opportunity to foster partnerships, as well as exchanging information, experiences and best practices.