The governance structure of the Union is comprised of the following units:

• The General Conference of Ministers
• The Executive Council
• The Technical Conference
• The Secretariat

The General Conference of Ministers (Permanent)

The General Conference of Ministers is presided over by the President of the Union, who is a Minister of Government with responsibility for Telecommunications. The General Conference is the highest decision making body of the Union and is responsible for giving general policy direction to the Executive Council and the Secretariat. Ministers responsible for Telecommunications comprise the General Conference and each Member State has one vote.

The Executive Council (Permanent)

The Executive Council is comprised of the Senior Technical and Policy Administrative staff in the Ministries of Telecommunications from the respective Member States and is presided over by a Chairman. In between General Conference Meetings, the Executive Council is responsible for decision-making in the oversight of the work of the Secretariat. The Council is also expected to submit policy recommendations to the General Conference of Ministers.

The Technical Conference (Ad Hoc)

The Technical Conference is held annually and is attended by senior officials from the respective member states, the private sector and members of civil society. This Conference considers regional and international developments in the information and telecommunications sector and informs the policy deliberations of the member states of the Union. The Conference provides an opportunity for multi-stakeholder participation in formulating policy.

The Secretariat (Permanent)

The Secretariat is the principal administrative organ of the Union. The Secretary General who heads the Secretariat, is responsible for implementing the Union’s policies and work programmes. The Secretary General reports to the Chairman of the Executive Council.