Qatar to host MWC26 alongside ITU conference
Doha will stage two of the telecommunications world's biggest gatherings under one roof this November, putting the ministers who write the rules and the companies that build the networks in the s...
Doha, Qatar will host two of the most significant telecommunications events in November, bringing together the policy makers and network builders for the first time under one roof. The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) is organizing MWC26 (Mobile World Congress) at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center from November 8 to 10, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
Adjacent to this event is the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26), which will run from November 9 to 27, also at the same venue, managed by the Communications Regulatory Authority.
This scheduling is strategic, as it allows attendees to simultaneously engage with policy discussions and hands-on technology demonstrations. Organizers position this as a single platform that connects regulatory direction with existing technology, a model not previously attempted at such a large scale. The ITU meeting, held once every four years, is the organization's supreme policy-making body, responsible for setting strategic and financial direction, electing senior officials, and determining the membership of key bodies like the Radio Regulations Board.
Ahmad bin Abdulla al-Muslemani, president of the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) and chair-designate of PP-26, highlighted that hosting the conference alongside MWC26 underscores Qatar's leadership in global connectivity and regulatory frameworks. The CRA expressed its commitment to a regulatory environment that promotes digital transformation and hopes the conference will contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable digital ecosystem.
Qatar's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mohammed bin Ali al-Mannai, emphasized that co-hosting these events underscores the country's growing role in global connectivity and its dedication to the Digital Agenda 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030.
The commercial aspect of hosting these events is equally compelling. GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath noted that MWC Doha 2025 attracted over 9,000 participants from 110 countries and territories, with nearly 300 speakers and more than 250 exhibitors and sponsors, resulting in over 30 new partnerships and initiatives. Returning this year is the GSMA Ministerial Programme, a closed-door session for digital governance and investment discussions, which previously brought together 60 delegations from 49 countries and 11 intergovernmental organizations.
The Qatar Communications Authority (CRA) is overseeing the logistical and operational preparations for participants attending PP-26.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
