With Participants from More Than 130 Countries, the International Non-Terrestrial Networks Forum Records High-Level International Attendance

The International Non-Terrestrial Networks Forum, organized by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission and the International Telecommunication Union, witnessed high-level international participation from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) through the forum's opening address delivered by its representative, Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau Mario Maniewicz, and the attendance of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Khalid Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of STC, His Excellency the Minister of Communications, Abdullah Alswaha, His Excellency the Minister of Transport, Saleh Al-Jasser, His Excellency the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mobily, Nabil Al-Amoudi, Her Excellency the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies of South Africa, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Her Excellency the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation of the Republic of Ghana, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, His Excellency the Governor of the Communications, Space and Technology Commission, Dr. Mohammed Al-Tamimi, and His Excellency the President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Abdulaziz Al-Duailej.

The forum recorded the attendance of more than 11 senior officials, 26 chief executives of a number of technology companies, and 10 representatives of telecommunications regulatory entities, in addition to 90 speakers from 130 countries around the world, where the ITU representative Maniewicz presented, in his opening presentation, an overview of the development of wireless communications through the atmosphere and outer space, and their contribution to enabling better coverage for 5G networks and beyond, noting that the future of telecommunications will not be through standalone networks, but will rely on the integration and flexibility of communication operations between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.

The forum, in its opening days, addressed a number of themes, beginning with a high-level session on “Opportunities and Challenges in Delivering Telecommunications Services via Non-Terrestrial Networks,” with the participation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies of South Africa, Her Excellency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation of the Republic of Ghana, Her Excellency Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Founder and Chairman of e-Space, Greg Wyler, the CEO of STC Group, Olayan Alwetaid, and the Vice President of Information Technology at Saudi Aramco, Yousef Al-Ulyan, while the first session answered the question: why does the world need non-terrestrial network communications? The second session addressed “Providing Telecommunications Services Beyond National Borders,” and concluded with the theme “Deploying Space and Aerial Networks - Challenges and Opportunities.”