Afghanistan wins GSMA Government Leadership Award

Afghanistan’s Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology, Amirzai Sangin

On Tuesday, in Barcelona, Spain, at the annual Government Mobile Forum, Afghanistan’s Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology, Amirzai Sangin, was given the mobile industry’s prestigious Government Leadership Award. The award was given to the Afghan government because of the “immense achievements made by the Afghan government in its commitment to the widespread expansion of mobile communications”. GSMA said in a press release:

“In just ten years the Afghan government has taken a country with no mobile infrastructure to a point where 80 per cent of the population is now covered by telecommunications networks. It has licensed four GSM operators and has created an environment of healthy, transparent competition and low-cost, broad accessibility. By leading this transformation, Afghanistan’s government is driving economic growth; the mobile industry now directly employs more than 50,000 people, and accounts for 12 per cent of all government revenues. Telecommunications has become the single largest source of foreign investment, bringing more than $1.2 billion dollars into the national economy.”

“I am extremely delighted to receive this award on behalf of the Government of Afghanistan, and want to thank the GSMA for recognizing the efforts of our government for creating policies and a regulatory environment that, together with the efforts of all stakeholders, have resulted, despite the challenges of the ongoing insurgency and war, in the tremendous success of telecommunications and ICT in Afghanistan,” said Minister Sangin. “With our partners, we are determined to continue to develop the potential for telecommunications and ICT as an enabler for the socio-economic development of our country.”

“This award acknowledges the pioneering leadership of the government of Afghanistan and is a testament to the vision, courage and integrity of its policy makers who are encouraging foreign investment in the country,” said Tom Phillips, chief regulatory officer, GSMA. “By reducing the spectrum fees payable by mobile operators and creating a light-touch regulatory environment which does not impose onerous burdens on operators, the government of Afghanistan is building a new economic era and driving trade through the power of mobile communications.”

GSMA is an association that represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry.

February 17, 2011 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Job Creation, Reconstruction and Development