Doha is set to become a global hub for telecommunications policy and technology this November, with MWC26 Doha and the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26) taking place at the same venue.
MWC26 Doha will run from November 8–10 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, while PP-26 will begin on November 9 and continue until November 27.
The unusual overlap will put telecom policymakers and regulators in the same environment as operators, technology companies, investors and industry leaders, creating a direct link between the technologies being developed today and the policies that will shape their deployment.
Industry and Policymakers Under One Roof
MWC26 Doha, organised by the GSMA in partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, will focus on the commercial and technology side of the communications industry. The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, meanwhile, is the organisation’s highest policy-making body and takes place every four years.
The conference determines the ITU’s strategic and financial direction for the years ahead. Member states will also elect the ITU’s five senior officials, choose 48 countries for the ITU Council and elect the 12 members of the Radio Regulations Board.
The decisions made in Doha could therefore influence international telecommunications policy and industry priorities well beyond the event itself. Ahmad bin Abdulla al-Muslemani, President of Qatar’s Communications Regulatory Authority, has been designated chair of PP-26.
He said the decision to host the two events alongside each other reflects Qatar’s growing role in global connectivity and the development of regulatory frameworks supporting digital transformation.
Qatar Targets a Bigger Role in Global Digital Policy
Qatar is positioning the dual events as part of its broader Digital Agenda 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030 strategies. Mohammed bin Ali al-Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said bringing MWC26 and PP-26 together reinforces Qatar’s commitment to digital transformation and its role in global discussions around connectivity.
The combination also gives Qatar an opportunity to connect international policy discussions with the commercial technology ecosystem developing around areas such as communications infrastructure, emerging technologies, digital inclusion and investment.
MWC Doha Builds on 2025 Debut
MWC26 will be the second edition of the GSMA’s Doha event, following its launch in 2025. The inaugural edition attracted more than 9,000 participants from 110 countries and territories, with almost 300 speakers and more than 250 exhibitors and sponsors. Organisers also reported more than 30 partnerships and initiatives announced during the event.
The GSMA Ministerial Programme will return alongside MWC26, bringing ministers, regulators and senior industry executives together for discussions around digital governance, investment and policy.
The previous Doha edition attracted 60 delegations from 49 countries, alongside representatives from 11 intergovernmental organisations. With PP-26 taking place at the same time, this year’s programme is expected to bring an even larger concentration of policymakers and telecom industry leaders to the Qatari capital.
Three Weeks of Global Telecom Policy
While MWC26 will run for three days, PP-26 will continue for almost three weeks, reflecting the scale of negotiations and institutional decisions involved in the ITU process. Qatar’s Communications Regulatory Authority is overseeing preparations for the conference, including organisational and operational arrangements for participating member states and international organisations.
The main overlap between the two events will take place on November 9 and 10, when MWC26 attendees and ITU delegates will be at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center simultaneously.
For the telecom industry, the convergence offers a rare opportunity to place technology, investment and regulation in the same room — potentially making Doha one of the key centres for global connectivity discussions in November.
