Looking back to last month's 9th MENA Spectrum Management Conference in Abu Dhabi

The 9th MENA Spectrum Management Conference wrapped up in Abu Dhabi on 6–7 September, bringing together leaders from across the region and beyond. Held alongside the 33rd ASMG Preparatory Meeting and kindly hosted by TDRA UAE, the conference brought about strong engagement from regulators, industry, and international partners and delivered dynamic discussions, fresh perspectives, with plenty of opportunities for networking.

The first day of the conference began with Keynote Presentations from Ilham Ghazi, Head, Broadcasting Services Division, Radiocommunications Bureau, ITU and Tariq Al Awadhi, Chairman, Arab Spectrum Management Group (ASMG); and Executive Director, Spectrum Affairs, TDRA UAE, who welcomed delegates to the region and set the scene for the discussions that followed.

We then heard our speakers in Session 1 discuss preparations for WRC-27, offering an early look at emerging regional positions, key agenda items, and the importance of collaboration to ensure a unified strategy across the MENA region. Session 2 turned to the future of mobile connectivity, examining roadmaps beyond 5G and into 6G, including spectrum requirements, enabling technologies, and strategies to position the region as a global leader in next-generation networks. Session 3 highlighted the growing role of satellites and non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), addressing licensing challenges, the rise of NGSO constellations, and the need for harmonised frameworks to expand access and reliability across the region.

Together, the sessions emphasised coordination, innovation, and alignment of national and regional objectives to meet the demands of a rapidly changing spectrum landscape.

The second day of the conference featured another five high-level discussions. Starting with Session 4, our panellists explored the challenge of closing the connectivity gap across the Arab region, emphasising the need for greater regional alignment on spectrum licensing, pricing, and planning to accelerate 5G and next-generation services while ensuring no country is left behind. Session 5 then turned to the 6 GHz band, examining how regulators can balance licensed and unlicensed use to maximise its value, support innovation, and enable harmonised policies that will determine the long-term digital landscape. Session 6 focused on the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in spectrum management, with panellists highlighting its potential to transform efficiency, automate licensing, and support smarter, real-time decision-making across the region.

During the afternoon, Session 7 shifted the focus to direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity, assessing how different regions are approaching spectrum allocation, interference management, and harmonisation to foster the development of this transformative technology. The final session, Session 8, addressed spectrum strategies for enterprise and mission-critical connectivity, with discussions on how tailored frameworks can better support public safety, smart grids, energy, and industrial transformation through private networks and resilient communications.

The conference served as a vital platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and strategic planning, reinforcing the MENA region’s commitment to advancing connectivity for the future.

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Missed the Event? Watch the Highlights

Thank You to Our Partners

We would like to once again thank our hosts, TDRA UAE, and supporting partners ASMG & ITU, along with all of our sponsors for their support, including:

What’s next?

The Global Spectrum Series hosts connectivity conferences across 7 regions globally, take a look at the next events taking place:

14th Americas Spectrum Management Conference
🗓️ 30 - 31 October | 📍 Washington D.C

12th Latin America Spectrum Management Conference
🗓️ 12 - 13 November | 📍 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Find out more about our regional events on the Global Spectrum Series website or through our newsletter.