7.19.3 Strategies The Government will: i. Ensure the effective allocation and management of bulk and commercial spectrum; ii. Ensure the judicious allocation of numbers based on an open nondiscriminatory and transparent basis; iii. Ensure coordination between the relevant agencies that are involved in issuing right of way for ICT infrastructure deployment; iv. Ensure, in consultation with ITU, the proper coordination and utilization of orbital space for effective national development; and v. Encourage deployment of ICT services in underserved and unserved areas, by identifying appropriate frequencies which could be allocated as license exempt frequencies to service providers for deployment of services in the rural areas. 7.20 Regional / International Co-operation and Collaboration International cooperation is essential for development of the ICT sector. It affords countries the opportunity to share experiences and to set common standards and policies for ICT development. It is important to maximize participation in relevant international fora in order to accelerate Nigeria’s full integration into the global information society. 7.20.1 Situation Analysis ICT development has significant dependencies on international standards development discoveries and knowledge exchange. Whilst Nigeria has been a participant in international fora, the participation has not been maximized for a number of reasons including lack of coordination, and short planning cycles. To ensure that Nigeria derives maximum benefits from these international engagements, it is important for Government to establish a clear mechanism for Nigeria’s effective participation in regional and international cooperation and collaboration efforts. !"#$%&"'()*+(,%'$-.(/(0120( ( ( ,"34(72(