The experts of WATRA’s three working groups – Consumer Access & Experience, Infrastructure Development, and Cybersecurity – met for their 4th in-person meeting, which held from the 30th of March to the 2nd of April 2026 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The four-day meeting, hosted by the Autorité de Regulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes (ARCEP) of Burkina Faso, was themed “Building a Secure, Inclusive, and Resilient Digital Ecosystem for West Africa”. The meeting served as an essential platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and reinforcing WATRA’s shared commitment to building a secure, inclusive, and resilient digital ecosystem for West Africa. This was the final meeting of the Working Groups to close out their mandate, culminating in the formal presentation of all their work: draft guidelines, recommendations, and concluding reports.

The meeting began with a joint opening ceremony, which included welcome addresses by Engr. Aliyu Yusuf Aboki, Executive Secretary of WATRA, Mr. Patrice Compaore, Executive Secretary of ARCEP-Burkina Faso, and Dr. Pasteur Poda, Chairman of the Regulatory Council of ARCEP Burkina Faso. Following that, the attendees split off into their various Working Groups for working sessions where they reviewed reports and held discussions on relevant topics.

“This meeting represents the culmination of a two-year cycle, with a clear expectation: the finalisation of your reports,” Engr. Aliyu Aboki stated in his welcome address. “These outputs are not merely formalities. They are practical instruments that will inform policy, guide regulatory action, and strengthen regional harmonisation. The outcomes of your work will serve as concrete evidence of the value generated through this collaborative approach.They reaffirm that inclusive and coordinated regulation remains essential to bridging the digital divide in West Africa.”