The first meeting of the GCC Working Group designated to prepare for the ITU World Radio Communication Conference 2015 started yesterday in Salalah, Dhofar Governorate. Dr Hamed bin Salim al Rawahi, Chief Executive, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) presided over the opening ceremony of the meeting. On the importance of the meeting, he said: "This meeting is of great importance for the countries in the region being the first in the preparation for the ITU World Radio Communication Conference 2015, where we will agree on the preparatory plan for the conference proceedings in order to co-ordinate the views of the GCC member states with respect to the conference agenda to reach a unified position for GCC member states and prepare GCC papers for regional and international meetings and to follow developments related to the conference agenda items of the Study Groups of the ITU Radio Sector". He noted "ITU Radio communication sector plays a prominent role in assisting the administration of the spectrum at the international level where there are almost regular revisions and updates of the Radio Regulations, in particular for the frequency allocations table in these regulations due to the massive demand for using the spectrum. This is of crucial importance in order to keep pace with the rapid expansion of existing systems as well as the advanced wireless technologies that need spectrum and are being developed at the present time". On the importance of spectrum as a natural resource, Dr Al Rawahi said: "The spectrum is a natural resource with economic, social and cultural importance for all countries of the world. Radio communication industry depends heavily on the spectrum and thus requiring countries and administrations to successfully manage the spectrum and plan for its use according to the recommendations of the ITU and international practices in this field. It is also a requirement to co-ordinate the allocation and use of spectrum between countries and regional groups to ensure its continuity and optimal use and thus contribute to the building of infrastructure to facilitate the development and use of Radio communication technologies at the latest international standards in order to promote their competitiveness, drive economic growth and improve living conditions. Dr Al Rawahi praised the great role played by the Telecommunications Bureau of the Secretariat General of the GCC countries in co-ordinating the positions of the GCC countries in the regional and international forums and conferences, which had a significant impact on achieving the interests of the Gulf countries and contributed to the convergence of the views of the GCC countries. During the first day of the meeting, the participants discussed the mechanisms for co-ordinating the perspectives of the GCC countries with respect to the agenda of the ITU World Radio communication Conference 2015 to reach a unified position for GCC member states and prepare GCC papers for regional and international meetings. The team also discussed developments related to the conference agenda items of the Study Groups of the ITU radio sector. It is worth mentioning that the Sultanate in this meeting presented a number of papers including proposals on the preparatory plan for the conference, work mechanism of GCC Working Group, reports on the outcomes of the ITU World Radio Communication Conference 2012 and the results of the first session of the preparatory meeting for the ITU World Radio Communication Conference 2015, which was held in Geneva during February 20-21. It should also be noted that the meeting hosted by the Sultanate during August 25-27 involves experts from the Telecommunications Bureau of the GCC Secretariat General and delegations representing the telecommunications regulatory bodies in the GCC countries. Oman Daily Observer
