​Objectives

Terms of Reference

1. ​To encourage active collaboration and participation of African administrations, regulators and operators in the work of ITU-T SG13 and to report to them ITU-T SG13 outcomes and deliverables.
2. To maintain an electronic forum to drive discussions on evolving computing paradigm implementation challenges including regulatory issues facing administrations, operators and regulators in Africa.
3. To establish training needs on current standardization areas, hot topics and future networks for operators and regulatory authorities in Africa and coordinate the organization of technical tutorials in the region on such topics with ITU-T SG13.
4. To encourage participation of African countries in workshops, Rapporteur meetings and other ITU-T SG13 events.
5. Act as facilitator for contributing to the parent SG.
6. To reflect the relevant priorities of the region as per ITU-T SG13 mandate. This study period, the Priority areas are:
   • Future Computing and Data Prosessing
   • Artificial Intelligence as applied to networks
   • IMT-2020 (non radio aspects)
   • Next generation of IMT networks and machine learning
   • Future networks (Network 2030)
   • Trust
7. To encourage African countries to contribute to the development of new/revised ITU-T Recommendations on current standardization areas, hot topics and future networks and report on their respective activities.
8. To disseminate relevant information provided by ITU-T on current standardization areas, hot topics and future networks standards and document relevant use cases, architectures and services including emerging mobile services.
9. To provide a better follow up from and to the focal points identified on current standardization areas, hot topics and future networks in African countries.
10. To serve an incubator of new ideas for future technologies and their implementation scenarios shaped to the best to work in this part of the world.
11. To serve a platform to share the expertise and experience in early implementation of the parent group standards.
12. To bring new member country initiatives to the attention of all SG13RG-AFR countries.
13. To provide personalities for top positions to lead standardization efforts in SG13 subgroups.
14. Build a community of collaborators for mainstreaming new technologies, new proposals for standardization.
15. To encourage review of existing SG13 Recommendations from the region perspective with the goal of their update and improvements.
16. Encourage Academia involvement into the activities of the SG13 Regional Group for Africa and SG13
17. To collaborate with African Telecommunication Union (ATU).
18. To preserve the interest of the region in SG13 activities.

Working Methods

The regional group will mainly work electronically and by correspondence through designated focal points.