ITU Regional Development Forum for Africa concludes in Victoria Falls
Date: 2026-05-27
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
2026 ITU Regional Development Forum for Africa (ITU RDF-AFR 2026) has concluded
in Victoria Falls, marking the end of two days of high-level dialogue focused
on translating global telecom development priorities into concrete regional
implementation measures.
The
forum, convened under the framework of the International Telecommunication
Union, brought together policymakers, industry stakeholders, and development
partners to advance Africa’s digital transformation agenda following outcomes
from WTDC-25.
Deputy Minister Hon. Dingumuzi Phuti presided over the closing session, describing the forum as a platform that successfully transformed global commitments into actionable regional strategies. He noted that discussions had strengthened alignment between international frameworks and Africa’s digital development priorities.
Key
outcomes of the forum included the operationalisation of five Regional
Initiatives for Africa aimed at accelerating digital infrastructure
development, inclusion, and innovation across member states. Participants also
endorsed a unified implementation roadmap with clearly defined key performance
indicators to guide progress and accountability.
Another
major highlight was the Partner2Connect Matchmaking Roundtable, which
facilitated linkages between local digital development needs and global
financing and technical partners, aimed at accelerating investment and
collaboration in priority areas.
Looking
ahead to the APM2 for ITU PP-26 scheduled for November 2026 in Doha,
stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining momentum on digital
inclusion, cybersecurity, and infrastructure expansion across the continent.
