Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in collaboration with GSM Association (GSMA) organized a two-day capacity building training course on “Leveraging Mobile to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals” at PTA Headquarters, Islamabad.
The training course was attended by international participants from Nepal Telecom Authority (NTA) along with representatives from Cabinet Division, Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (MoIT), Ministry of Human Rights, National Commission on the Status of Women, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MoFEPT), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), PTA, Frequency Allocation Board (FAB), Universal Service Fund (USF), Ignite, Pakistan Software Export Board, Engineering Development Board, and 3G Technologies.
The training course focused on gaining critical insight into the impact of mobile-enabled services on sustainable development that included the effects of expanding mobile coverage in rural areas and the role of government and industry in closing the mobile broadband coverage gap.
Mr. Michael Nique, Director of Research, Mobile for Development Department, GSMA delivered the course. He provided the participants with a greater understanding of strategies, policy frameworks & regulatory levers needed to maximize the impact of mobile on the implementation of national SDGs plans.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman PTA, Maj. General Amir Azeem Bajwa (R) said that the course proved to be a valuable experience, one which addressed the impact of mobile in achieving targets set under the SDGs.
PTA is doing its utmost efforts alongside other stakeholders in supporting SDGs by bringing economic & social benefits of the mobile and internet to rural communities.
The chairman also thanked GSMA for this collaboration and assured of PTA’s full support for future programs and training.
This course was delivered under the “PTA-GSMA Centre of Excellence Programme for Regional Regulatory Training” under which one training course shall be conducted on the latest topics of telecommunications and ICTs in every quarter of 2020.