Regional Community of Practice (ReCoP)
Africa-BB-MapsRegional Community of Practice (ReCoP) on broadband mapping
The Regional Community of Practice brings together the regulators of the eleven Africa-BB-Maps countries in three sub-regional groups. Its first task is to agree, in Brussels on 3 December 2026, on three texts: common data standards, guidance on using broadband maps to plan investment, and a Charter on how the Community will work after the programme ends in 2028.
Find your group on the map.
How your answers reach the texts adopted in Brussels
How each CoP coordinates
By email or in its sub-regional WhatsApp group
Between steps 2 and 4, members can coordinate their answers and agree the common position in two ways:
- Email: each member writes to its CoP chair, with ITU in copy.
- WhatsApp: each CoP has its own sub-regional group (Western, Eastern, Southern) inside the ITU Africa-BB-Maps community, to agree dates, share drafts and prepare the CoP meeting.
The common position is always sent to ITU by email, by the chair, by 26 November.
Find your sub-regional CoP
The work happens in three groups, one per sub-region. Each is chaired by the regional association and co-chaired by one of its regulators.
Burundi
Côte d’Ivoire
Ethiopia
Kenya
Uganda
Botswana
Zambia
ZimbabweYour tasks before Brussels
Read the three drafts
Three short texts to be negotiated and adopted in Brussels. They are starting points, not texts to sign. OUTPUT/2 follows by 9 November.
Send your answers to your CoP chair
Answer the questions in the drafts for your authority, individually, in English or French, with ITU in copy. No country figures are needed.
Your CoP’s position, then Brussels
Your regional association holds a meeting of the CoP members, where you agree one common position; the chair sends it to ITU by 26 November. ITU merges the three positions and publishes the consolidated drafts on 27 November. In Brussels, three days of discussion lead to adoption on 3 December.
Brussels: one standard and one Community of Practice
How each day feeds the adoption
How the ReCoP works
- Each member sends written answers to its CoP chair; the CoP meets and agrees one common position by consensus.
- The Community issues recommendations, not binding decisions; participation is voluntary.
- The chair is the regional association; the co-chair is a regulator of the group.
- ITU acts as Secretariat until the end of 2028; the arrangements after 2028 are set in the Charter.
| Group | Chair | Co-chair | Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Africa |  |   | Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire |
| East Africa |  |   | Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda |
| Southern Africa |  |   | Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
From three groups to one Regional Community
Africa-BB-Maps, from 2025 to 2028
Launch
The programme is launched in Abidjan, then a national event in each partner country starts the work with the regulator and national partners.
- Mar 2025Regional launch
- Aug-DecEleven national events
Building skills
Mapping teams are trained in GIS and data, and policy makers take part in three policy study visits.
- Apr-Sep
- May-Jul
Common rules
The regulators agree on common data standards, on how to use maps for investment, and on the rules of this Community.
- AugData Standardisation
- OctCommunities of Practice
- NovCoP positions
- 30 NovBrussels workshop
Regional ownership
The Charter and Work Programme adopted in Brussels set how the regulators and their associations continue the work in 2027-2028.
- 2027-28Work Programme