EAC in deal to bridge communication gap

The East African Communication Organisation (EACO) has signed a technical and capacity building support agreement with International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (ITSO) with the aim of promoting the use of satellite communication.ITSO is an intergovernmental organisation based in Washington DC, whose mission is to act as the supervisory authority/ regulator of Intelsat Ltd (which is an international satellite services operator/provider) and ensure that the latter performs the core principles of providing public telecommunication services with high reliability and quality.Speaking to The New Times, after the signing, ITSO’s Chief Executive Officer, Jose M. Toscano, observed that Africa still has poor communication technologies that needed immediate solutions. “One of the problems that Africa has is the lack of access to latest technology and access to communication services and we are working together to bridge this gap,” Toscano noted. “What remains is for EACO to identify the specific areas where ITSO can offer support”. The Chief Executive Officer of EACO, Hodge Semakula, observed that there was need to build more capacity in infrastructural development such as broadband.“In order for the region to participate in today’s networked society and be part of the digital world, respective countries must review their policies and develop infrastructure that will help them benefit from digital opportunities and ensure inclusion of all in the digital world,” he said.The implementation of agreement is slated to kickoff early next year. EACO is a regional body that brings together regulatory, postal, telecommunications and broadcasting organisations in the East African Community (EAC) and its Secretariat is in Kigali.

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EAC in deal to bridge communication gap