Mr. Chairman,
Your Excellences Heads of Delegations,
ITU Elected Officials,
Leaders of Industry and Regulators
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen, 

On behalf of the Angolan Delegation, allow me first to join our voice to the previous speakers in expressing our gratitude to the Government and people of The United Arab Emirates for their warm hospitality, and for bringing the world to the wonderful city of Dubai. Secretary-General of ITU Dr Houlin Zao and his team at the ITU Secretariat are equally worthy of our tributes for an excellent organization of this meeting as well as its outstanding performance over the last 4 years since the last plenipotentiary conference.

Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates,

Angola continues to be strongly committed to the vision of building an Information Society in which everyone can create, access, share information and knowledge, to promote development and improve the quality of life, based on the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society.

The  Government of Angola is implementing a solid National Development Plan (NDP), for the period of 2018 – 2022, where the transformative potential of ICT and Broadband play a paramount role, taking into account the convergence of technological platforms for telecommunications, broadcasting, and informatics, as well as the establishment of integrated network infrastructure for multiple applications and services.

In partnership with all stakeholders the ICT White Book is beeing updated to identified goals and targets of Growth, Inclusiveness, Sustainability, and Innovation and Partnership in the framework of the SADC Digital 2027 Agenda and Digital Agenda for the Portuguese Speaking Countries Community (CPLP). Both Agendas are in line with the objectives and goals of ITU, African Union and the Sustainable Development goals of the United Nations.

We continue to benefit from ITU Recommendations and Studies to foster the legislative reform to make our ICT environment a more conducive one.

The market access requisites were simplified with the introduction of only two kinds of licenses : The Global Unified Title and the Multiservice License. At this moment a bid  is ongoing to issue the fourth Global Unified Title, which allows to provide all kind of electronic communications services, without restriction. In addition, there is also in course another bid will be called to handover 45 percent of shares on Angola Telecom. This aims to find a partner to share the potential benefits of its Global Unified License awarded by the Government of Angola in 2017.

Special attention has been given to the promotion of confidence and security in the use of Telecommunications/ICT, with the definition of a cyber security strategy adapted to the new Internet paradigm, which aims to allow the full use of digital platforms in a safe and effective way. For that purpose, several Computer Security Incident Response Teams have been setup. Angola is also cooperating regionally and internationally with other countries in this critical field.

Several other programs and initiatives are in course, for example the implementation of E-Gov 2.0, which aims at the massification of ICT at the level of public service, creating a new model of relationship between citizens and companies, in harmony with the penetration of telecommunications/ICT services.

On the 18^th  of September this year, was the first time, in recent Internet history, that a new submarine cable carried live traffic across the South Atlantic, directly connecting South America to Sub-Saharan Africa.  The South Atlantic Cable System (SACS) built by Angola Cables achieved this goal .

In addition, we are confident that with the full operational landing stations for the SAT-3 and WACS submarine cables combined with the launch of a new domestic satellite (ANGOSAT-2) and the modernization and expansion of the twenty two thousand kilometer long National Broadband Plan, as well, Angola will contribute decisively to enhance the role of Telecommunications/ICT in fostering African regional trade and integration as well as the need to build a competitive ICT industry to promote innovation, job creation and the export potential of African companies.

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished delegates;

The International Telecommunication Union can always count with Angola´s collaboration, in order to  implement the decisions of this Conference and to continue to serve the needs and interests of the developing countries.

We are confident that with your chairmanship, this this goal will be achieved and the conference will on setting a landmark for the path we agreed to pave away.

I wish all participants a pleasant and productive participation in the conference.

I would like to offer a special greeting to the elected and the greetings of the Angolan Government, wishing many successes in the missions to which they were honored

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.