Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) today announced the appointment of Hazim Al-Rawi as the new head of sub-region East. He will be responsible for the development of the company’s business and operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan and Syria effective July 1, 2011.

With over 16 years of experience in working closely with telecommunications providers, Al-Rawi joined NSN from Motorola on May 1, 2011 when the company’s acquisition of Motorola Solutions Networks was completed. He was director responsible for network services pre-sales and sales development for EMEA and before this director market development and pre-sales support, Systems Integration Services EMEA. Prior to joining Motorola, Al-Rawi was a specialist CDMA and GSM engineer with Lucent Technologies as well as a senior lecturer at Kingston University, UK.

Hazim holds a PhD, Microwave Antennas for Mobile Communications from the University of Bath, UK.

Mohammed Hariri, chairman of Oger Telecom Limited (OTL) announced that Paul Doany has resigned as CEO of Oger Telecom.

Doany joined the Oger Group in 1998 and, was nominated GM of Oger Telecom in 2002, when it was a division of Saudi Oger. He was appointed CEO of OTL, which was incorporated as a separate DIFC based entity in 2005. He also served simultaneously as Turk Telekom CEO since its privatisation in 2005, until August 2010, after which he resumed his OTL CEO position. He also served on all subsidiary boards of the group.

“During Doany’s tenure with Oger Telecom, we achieved remarkable milestones. He led our subsidiaries, from acquisition, operational build out, to successful transformation, as needed for the various stages of their development, handing over to other CEOs at the opportune time,” commented Hariri.

“I would like to thank Saud Al Daweesh, STC CEO, for his support as vice chairman of Oger Telecom, since STC’s participation in OTL in 2008,” Doany said.

On his new plans, Doany said, “I have reached a point in my life where I would like to focus on diversified investments in Internet and IT/software companies (including social networking, e-commerce and the financial sector). In addition, I will be expanding into renewable energy, focusing on geothermal power generation and also enhancements technologies”.

In the interim Hariri will oversee the management and operations of OTL assisted by the company’s senior management until a replacement is appointed.

Telkom Kenya (Orange) says that it could launch its HSPA+ enabled 3G network next month, if the ongoing tests continue to be positive.

The 3G network is the result of a Sh4 billion (US$44 million) investment by the company, and is being built by China’s ZTE. The telco is installing 1,500 3G base stations and has been conducting internal trials in Nairobi and Mombasa.

“We are optimistic that in this first half we should have rolled out our 3G service,” Telkom Kenya CEO Mickael Ghossein said adding that current tests had shown positive signs.

Jordan Telecom Orange plans to invest JD50 million (US$71 million) in its 3G network over the remainder of this year.

CEO Nayla Khawam told Bloomberg News that the company had 500,000 3G subscribers at the end of May, just over a year after it launched the 3G service.

Previously Khawam said that the company aims to have 900,000 3G subscribers by the end of 2011.

A meeting of government ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has agreed to work on cutting mobile roaming rates between their countries.

The GCC ministers decided to adhere to the ministerial resolution made at a meeting three years ago, which stated that the GCC countries will move the implementation of proposals from a working group for a 30 per cent cut in roaming rates.

In a statement, the telecommunications regulatory authorities in the GCC said they would inform operators immediately after the meeting to implement the resolution.