By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
South Sudan’s delegation to
the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference 2026
(PP-26) has held a series of bilateral meetings with representatives from the
Bahamas, Zimbabwe, Germany, Kazakhstan and Türkiye to strengthen diplomatic
relations, secure support for ITU leadership candidates and explore cooperation
in the ICT sector.
The delegation, led by ICT
Minister Hon. Ateny Wek Ateny, included the Chairman of the National
Communication Authority (NCA) Board, Hon. Tejwok Ajak, and NCA Director-General
Eng. Gieth Kon Mathiang.
The engagements took place
on the sidelines of the conference in Doha, Qatar, as South Sudan seeks to
strengthen its institutional presence and advance its national
telecommunications priorities within the international ICT community.
The delegation began its
bilateral engagements with a meeting with the Head of Delegation for the
Bahamas, H.E. Sebastian Bastian. Discussions focused on mutual support within
the ITU leadership framework, reaffirming diplomatic relations between the two
countries and highlighting shared priorities for regional telecommunications
development.
The South Sudanese
delegation subsequently met with Zimbabwe’s Minister of ICT, Hon. T. A.
Mavetera, accompanied by her Deputy Minister, Hon. D. Phuti, and Germany’s Head
of Delegation, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Digital
Transformation, Hon. Dr. Markus Richter.
Discussions centred on
Germany’s request for South Sudan’s support for its candidate for the ITU
Radiocommunication Bureau (BR), as well as Zimbabwe’s request for endorsement
of its candidate for Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT).
Minister Ateny reaffirmed
the warm relations between the countries, their shared sister-state ties and
their mutual commitment to digital transformation and regional
telecommunications collaboration.
Further bilateral
discussions were held alongside South Sudan’s Ambassador to Qatar, H.E. Lily
Manyiel, with the Heads of Delegation for Kazakhstan and Türkiye.
These engagements focused on
strategic ITU candidacies, technical capacity-building for South Sudanese
engineers, enhanced spectrum management and attracting investment into the
country’s expanding ICT sector.
The National Communication
Authority said the engagements form part of South Sudan’s efforts to elevate
its institutional presence on the international stage, ensuring that national
priorities shape the global agenda while creating opportunities for technical
exchange and growth in the domestic ICT sector.
