Monday, May 03, 2004
Mubarak opens Africa Telecom 2004
(voice report)
Hundreds of delegatefrom around the world have gathered in Cairo, Egypt to
thrash out African information technology issues. The International
Telecommunications Union Telecom Africa conference has been officially
opened today by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The four-day meeting
between business and government leaders from around the globe will highlight
the latest communication technology and look at ways of improving access in
the region. Thrishni Subramoney reports from Cairo….
While the meeting was officially opened today, the real work begins
tomorrow. The conference title - Access Africa says it all. The delegates,
gathered here will spend the next four days looking at ways of getting and
keeping Africa connected on the information super highway. However, above
all else, it seems to be a business meeting. Just percent of the
participants here aren't from the private sector – and according to ITU
statistics, more than sixty percent of participants say they're here to meet
prospective customers. Almost 300 African businesses – big and small - are
to open their exhibits here at the Cairo International Convention Centre
tomorrow – in the hopes of wooing the public sector with their solutions to
the digital divide.
The South African government delegation being is led by
Information and Communications Minister, Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri. And
Chairperson of the Presidential National Commission on Information Society
and Development, Lyndall Shope-Mafole will chair a forum on Information
Communication Technology and NEPAD on Thursday. A main issue being toted at
the conference by the ITU this year is the fast-paced growth of mobile
technology in Africa. The mobile market in the region has reportedly
undergone an thousand percent increase in the last five years. Another key
issue is that of bringing broadband connections to the continent – a
technology that is much faster than the dial up connections commonly used in
Africa – South Africa included. Thrishni Subramoney. Cairo.
(voice report)
Hundreds of delegatefrom around the world have gathered in Cairo, Egypt to
thrash out African information technology issues. The International
Telecommunications Union Telecom Africa conference has been officially
opened today by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The four-day meeting
between business and government leaders from around the globe will highlight
the latest communication technology and look at ways of improving access in
the region. Thrishni Subramoney reports from Cairo….
While the meeting was officially opened today, the real work begins
tomorrow. The conference title - Access Africa says it all. The delegates,
gathered here will spend the next four days looking at ways of getting and
keeping Africa connected on the information super highway. However, above
all else, it seems to be a business meeting. Just percent of the
participants here aren't from the private sector – and according to ITU
statistics, more than sixty percent of participants say they're here to meet
prospective customers. Almost 300 African businesses – big and small - are
to open their exhibits here at the Cairo International Convention Centre
tomorrow – in the hopes of wooing the public sector with their solutions to
the digital divide.
The South African government delegation being is led by
Information and Communications Minister, Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri. And
Chairperson of the Presidential National Commission on Information Society
and Development, Lyndall Shope-Mafole will chair a forum on Information
Communication Technology and NEPAD on Thursday. A main issue being toted at
the conference by the ITU this year is the fast-paced growth of mobile
technology in Africa. The mobile market in the region has reportedly
undergone an thousand percent increase in the last five years. Another key
issue is that of bringing broadband connections to the continent – a
technology that is much faster than the dial up connections commonly used in
Africa – South Africa included. Thrishni Subramoney. Cairo.
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