Togo has become a full member of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) as part of its “commitment to regional integration”.
The country’s National Assembly unanimously adopted the government-proposed membership bill on Friday, June 30.
According to Cina Lawson, the Minister of Digital Economy, the approval will support Togo’s ambition of becoming a leading digital hub in Africa and the world.
“This membership is a major step in our commitment to regional integration and the development of telecommunications in Africa,” Lawson said.
She added that now that Togo is an ATU member, it will be able to “solicit the organization’s support to assert its positions or defend its interests within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).”
Moreover, Togo is now better equipped for increased cooperation with other countries on the continent, particularly in the context of expertise exchange, the official added.
Before December 1999 when it formalized, in South Africa, the ATU was a special agency of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for two decades.
About the African Telecommunications Union
Established on December 7th, 1999, the African Telecommunications Union is the leading continental organisation fostering the development of information and communication technologies infrastructure and services.
The mission of the Union is to promote the rapid development of info-communications in Africa in order to achieve universal access, and full inter-country connectivity.
The Union envisions an Africa that is empowered as a full and active participant in the global information and knowledge society.
Membership… ATU currently has 48 Member States and 54 Associate Members (comprising fixed and mobile telecom operators).