LAGOS  – The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) have announced a joint declaration aimed at strengthening collaboration on ICT infrastructure mapping across West Africa. 

Comprehensive ICT infrastructure data and mapping is important in shaping effective infrastructure strategies. 

The partners says that these data and maps are essential for connecting unserved and underserved communities and that Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) will play a crucial role in planning investments and making informed decisions. 

Through this collaboration, ITU and WATRA say they aim to leverage their respective initiatives and projects, avoiding duplication of efforts, reducing costs and accelerating efforts to connect communities to the digital economy. 

The joint declaration outlines several areas of cooperation, including joint advocacy, capacity building, and implementing ITU recommendations on geospatial information. 

Specific activities will include technical assistance, enhanced network planning, data analytics for decision-making, regional integration, and advocacy for transparency. 

The outcomes, it is hoped, will include improved data consistency, informed infrastructure investment decisions, streamlined decision-making processes, increased regional integration, and enhanced transparency through web-based information access. 

The joint advocacy efforts will focus on promoting the importance of gathering and managing infrastructure data for decision-making. Capacity-building initiatives will include sharing resources and conducting joint training sessions for member states to improve their infrastructure and broadband mapping capabilities.