The National Communications Institute of Mozambique (INCM) has assumed the presidency of the Association of Communications and Telecommunications Regulators of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (ARCTEL-CPLP) for the next two years, succeeding Cabo Verde. The leadership transition took place during the 18th General Assembly of the association, held on 15 and 16 June in Praia.
At the handover ceremony, the outgoing ARCTEL-CPLP president and Chair of Cabo Verde’s Multisectoral Economic Regulatory Agency (ARME), Leonilde Santos, reviewed her mandate and highlighted the progress achieved, stressing the importance of cooperation among regulators from Portuguese-speaking countries.
According to Leonilde Santos, “the past two years have demonstrated the strength of cooperation within the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), based on joint work, technical competence and the commitment of regulators”, factors that helped strengthen ARCTEL-CPLP’s institutional consolidation.
The Cape Verdean official, who took over the leadership of the association in 2024 and became the first woman to hold the position, said her presidency was guided by clear priorities. These included strengthening communication among members, promoting gender equality and female leadership in the digital sector, and enhancing international cooperation.
Upon assuming the presidency, the Chair of INCM’s Board of Directors, Helena Fernandes, thanked members for their trust in Mozambique and acknowledged Cabo Verde’s contribution to strengthening the organisation. “The support, experience and knowledge-sharing provided by the Cape Verdean presidency constitute a valuable legacy for the association and a solid foundation for the continuation of the work developed,” she said.
The new president stated that Mozambique’s mandate will focus on implementing the approved activity plan and budget. She added that the presidency will also prioritise the institutional revitalisation of ARCTEL-CPLP, both financially and operationally, as well as strengthening its international positioning and boosting its training centre.
In this context, the approved activity plan for this year is based on three strategic pillars: promoting gender equality in the communications sector, strengthening the association’s international presence and recognition, and implementing concrete projects with direct impact in member countries.
During the General Assembly, Helena Fernandes also acknowledged Cabo Verde’s efforts to ensure the organisation’s continuity and sustainability.
Among the main achievements during ARME’s presidency were ARCTEL-CPLP’s integration into the Digital Regulation Network (DRN) Council, strengthening the association’s presence in international digital regulatory networks. Also highlighted was the election of Brazil, Cabo Verde and Portugal to bodies of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), processes supported by the association and its members.
The creation of the initiative “Girls in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)” was also noted, along with the first celebration of the Day of Girls in ICT in the Lusophone space, reinforcing the commitment to female participation in the sector. During the 18th General Assembly, management reports, accounts and activity reports were also presented, including work carried out in the area of universal access and service, a group chaired by INCM through the Executive Secretary of the Universal Access Service Fund, Cláudia Esmael.
The General Assembly preceded the ARCTEL-CPLP Forum 2026, which opened on Wednesday under the theme “Satellite Communications and Network Resilience in the CPLP”. The association brings together the nine CPLP member states: Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste.
Source: TechAfrica News
