Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko
ACTING DIRECTOR of Engineering at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, has been elected as one of three Africa Regional Directors of the International Telecommunications Union’s Radio Regulations Board (RRB) at the ongoing ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Bucharest, Romania.
He was one of four competitors for the three regional spots on the twelve-member global decision-making board, and he made Ghana proud by securing a spot around the table with 126 votes.
The other two who made the cut were Dr. El-Sayed Azzouz of Egypt – 141 votes, and Hassan Talib of Morocco – 131 votes. South Africa’s Samuel Mandla Mchunu failed to secure a seat with his 109 votes.
The Plenipotentiary Conference is the supreme decision-making body of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). At this highest-level meeting, 193 member states are set to agree on ITU’s strategic and financial plans, leadership, and direction for the next four years.
The members of the RRB perform their duties independently and on a part-time basis, normally meeting up to four times a year, in Geneva.
For the next four years, their work includes approving Rules of Procedure, used by the Radiocommunication Bureau in applying the provisions of the Radio Regulations and registering frequency assignments made by the ITU member states; addressing matters referred by the Bureau which cannot be resolved through application of the Radio Regulations and Rules of Procedure; considering reports of unresolved interference investigations carried out by the Bureau at the request of one or more administrations and formulate recommendations; and providing advice to Radiocommunication Conferences and the Radiocommunication Assemblies. Also, they will consider appeals against decisions made by the Radiocommunication Bureau regarding frequency assignments and perform any additional duties prescribed by a competent conference or by the Council.
The next RRB meeting is slated for Monday, October 31 to Friday, November 4, 2022 in Geneva.
Rev. Fianko is an electronic communications engineer with a depth of experience in radio frequency spectrum management, telecom and broadcasting regulation, policy formulation, change management, ICT industry research, writing, publishing, teaching and public speaking.
He has been actively involved in the electronic communications regulatory environment in Ghana and within the Africa region over the last 15 years.
In the run up to the ITU RRB elections, Rev. Fianko assured member states that, if elected to the RRB, he will support the enhancement of transparency and efficiency of the RRB’s working methods through diligent, ethical, fair and transparent interpretation and application of the Radio Regulations with fidelity to the ITU Constitution, the Convention and the decisions of the World Radiocommunications Conferences.
“I will work collaboratively with other members to uphold the trust of all Member States in discharging the functions of the RRB,” he added.
Meanwhile, at the same conference, ITU member states elected Doreen Bogdan-Martin of the United States of America as the organisation’s next Secretary-General.
Bogdan-Martin will be the first woman to lead ITU since its establishment 157 years ago in 1865. She won the position with 139 votes, out of 172 votes cast.​​
ITU member states also elected board members for the various ITU bodies at the Plenipotentiary Conference, each for a four-year term.