Policy and Regulation Initiative for Digital Africa (PRIDA)
The PRIDA project has been a joint initiative of the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It has aimed at fostering universally accessible and affordable broadband across the continent in order to unlock future benefits of internet-based services. The specific objectives have been to facilitate efficient and harmonized spectrum utilization, to harmonize measurable ICT/Telecommunications policy, legal and regulatory frameworks, and to strengthen the ability of African stakeholders to actively participate in the global internet governance debate.
More specifically, PRIDA has intended to achieve three main outputs: The first one has improved predictable spectrum allocation, licensing, and management including the treatment of harmful interferences and pricing. Measures have been based on international best practices with a forward looking approach towards the Internet of Things (IoT). The second output has made great efforts to enhance a continental legal and regulatory monitoring & evaluation system, and to foster better understanding and cooperation among telecommunications regulatory authorities, public authorities, and civil society regarding the cross-cutting use of ICT. The third output has improved the capacity of African stakeholders to actively participate in global internet governance.
The PRIDA project has supported the AU Commission with technical assistance related to the second and third output. Output 1 has been implemented by ITU.
