The Director of Internal Audit at the Nigerian Communications Commission, Stella Erebor has emerged as Chairperson of the Conference Preparatory Committee of the African Telecommunications Union.
Speaking after her emergence in Abuja on Monday, Erebor said the committee’s role is critical in ensuring Africa presents a united front ahead of the ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries scheduled for Thursday.
“The Conference Preparatory Committee is the body that prepares for the big meeting coming up later in the week. The purpose is to prepare the documents that will be put forward to that Conference of Plenipotentiaries,” Erebor explained.
She noted that the ATU operates on a four-year cycle, and the preparatory meeting reviews all the work done by the Union to advance telecommunications in Africa and to coordinate African countries’ participation in the International Telecommunication Union.
“The ATU has been working in the past four years. In this conference, all the work that the ATU has done to advance telecommunication in Africa and to coordinate African countries towards their participation in the ITU is brought here,” she said.
According to her, the essence of the preparatory process is to enable the continent to speak with one voice on global platforms.
“It is very important when Africa gives all their issues as one on the international front. It gets more traction than when each country is fighting their own battles individually. So the essence of this conference is that Africa’s voice is heard and respected,” Erebor added.
The Preparatory Committee meeting in Abuja is expected to harmonize draft resolutions, agenda items and common positions that will be presented at the ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries later this week.
