ORGANS OF RASCOM

The Creation of RASCOM is a Pan-African Satellite Communication Organization, created from the will of African Governments and States, and set up in order to bridge the digital divide between the continent and the rest of the world using satellite telecommunications.

To overcome the challenges of this digital divide and the opening up of rural areas in Africa, the member States of the African Unity (currently African Union) agreed to establish a satellite telecommunications system as part of an enhanced telecommunications network for Africa, intended to provide expanded telecommunications services to all African countries

THE THREE ORGANS

ASSEMBLY OF PARTIES

The Assembly of Parties, the strategic and political orientation body of RASCOM, is composed of all the governments that have signed the RASCOM Convention. To date, 44 African governments have signed the RASCOM Convention. It meets in ordinary session every two years.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors is responsible for the design, implementation, construction, establishment, acquisition by purchase or lease, operation and maintenance of RASCOM’s space segment and, in accordance with this Agreement and the Operating Agreement, the execution of all other activities undertaken by RASCOM. The Council meets every three months in ordinary sessions.

It includes representatives distributed as follows:

  • Fifteen representatives of the Signatories, or Group of Signatories who have agreed to be represented as a group and who each hold one of the fifteen largest investment shares within the Organization.
  • Five representatives of Signatories not otherwise represented on the Board of Directors and chosen from each of the five African regions (North, West, Centre, East and South). They are elected by the Assembly of Parties, regardless of the number of their shares.
  • Representatives of Non-Signing Shareholders, chosen in accordance with the provisions of the Non-Signing Shareholders Agreement.

THE EXECUTIVE BODY

Under the authority of a Director General, it executes the decisions of the Council and takes care of the daily functioning of the Organization.