Highway Africa News Agency (HANA)

What's in a name - a story about TLDs

2006-12-06T14:03:00.000+02:00

Sao Paulo city in Brazil has briefly become the focal point for lobby groups wanting to establish new top level domain names or TLDs. A New York initiative called the .nyc Development Corp believes there is a need to have web addresses that end with .nyc, while the dot BERLIN GmbH & Co. KG argues that there is pent up demand for the .berlin suffix. The Berliners formed a Limited Commercial

A full agenda for ICANN meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil

2006-12-04T18:29:00.000+02:00

Paul Twomey, CEO of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned names and Numbers) opened the 27th edition of the council meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil with a number of positive developments to talk about. Most important of these was the signing of a Joint Partnership Agreement between ICANN and US Department of Commerce that continues the process of relaxing Washington’s control over the

Dare to be viral

2006-03-09T12:38:00.000+02:00

By Thrishni Subramoney "Viral ideas" were the concept that I caught during the last day of the SANGONeT conference. Michael Gilbert, a veteran consultant in the non-profit sector, held a workshop challenging NGO leaders to invest time in finding such "viral ideas" - ideas which catch on, which interest people to the extent that they tell other people about it.However. the fly in the ointment,

The Challenges of change

2006-03-09T12:07:00.000+02:00

By Vanessa MalilaThe SANGONeT ICTs for Civil Society conference comes to a close today and what is striking about the discussions taking place is that having jumped into ICT4D-type projects, civil society are now thinking about the real challenges facing the communities they are serving. The papers presented at this morning's session (you can see the full programme on the SANGONeT website: http

“The Poor Option?” Is Open Source Software really the solution?

2006-03-08T15:22:00.000+02:00

By Vanessa MalilaDay two of the SANGONeT ICTs for Civil Society conference has focused quite heavily on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and highlights many of the real issues that Civil Society and NGOs face in creating Universal Access in South Africa.One of the presenters asked the delegates to indicate which of them uses FOSS or propriety software and it was interesting to note that many

Village: Global, Currency: Information

2006-03-08T15:08:00.000+02:00

By Thrishni SubramoneyWhat would you say is the key to eliminating poverty, illiteracy, abuse and poor health care? More likely than not you did not answer "communication". Perhaps a decade or two ago, the idea would've seemed outlandish and ridiculous at best. But today a heart surgeon can perform life-saving surgery on a patient a continent away and a child in one country can starve to death

HANA Team covers SANGONeT ICTs for Civil Society Conference

2006-03-08T15:04:00.000+02:00

Having covered the second phase of WSIS in Tunis very effectively, HANA continues to spread its reach and is currently covering the SANGONeT ICTs for Civil Society Conference taking place in Johannesburg between 7 and 9 March.The conference has a number of interesting areas of focus including Open Source, Open Content, looking at strategies for Civil Society to effectively use online

Cybersurf: First impression of WSIS phase two in Tunis

2005-11-13T16:29:00.000+02:00

Script of a weekly radio insert broadcast on SAfm Radio in South AfricaHello good morning and welcome to Cybersurf - this week coming to you directly from Tunis – on the northern tip of our African continent – where yours truly, is attending the World Summit on the Information Society or WSIS if you are into acronyms.Why am I here, and why am I telling you about this mega conference?There are two

ICANN plans long term in spite of short term uncertainties

2005-07-18T10:16:00.000+02:00

By Steven Lang, Highway Africa News AgencyLuxembourg- ICANN – the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has approved an annual budget that includes provision for a strategic plan covering the years from 2006 to 2009. Delegates have been invited to contribute towards this far-reaching plan despite uncertainties looming just over the horizon.ICANN's board of directors approved the

ICANN outreach for Africa will benefit all

2005-07-18T10:15:00.000+02:00

By Rebecca Wanjiku, Highway Africa News Agency15 July, 2005Luxembourg- The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) should budget for outreach and training activities in Africa in order to bridge the digital and information divide, said Mouhammet Diop, Africa's representative on the ICANN board.He said the board has a responsibility to honour promises made at the meeting in

New talk-shop to debate internet governance?

2005-07-18T10:13:00.000+02:00

By Steven Lang, Highway Africa News Agency15 July, 2005Luxembourg- A report released into the preparatory process for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) recommends that a new forum be established to allow for more debate on how the internet should be governed.The Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) was set up after the first phase of the WSIS meeting in Geneva in 2003

ICANN prepares to disengage from US government

2005-07-15T09:55:00.000+02:00

By Rebecca Wanjiku, Highway Africa News AgencyJuly 15, 2005Luxembourg- The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has sent a message of reassurance to its partners that the current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US government will continue to be respected until its expiry date in 2006. Speaking at the on-going conference in Luxembourg, Theresa Swinehart, general

ICANN TO CONSIDER EU CONCERNS

2005-07-14T12:20:00.000+02:00

By Rebecca Wanjiku, Highway Africa News AgencyJuly 17, 2005Luxembourg- Faced with increasing concerns over its relations with other countries, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has started a process aimed at addressing issues raised by some European countries.The Policy Development Process (PDP) is calculated to determine whether there is need to amend ICANN bylaws

Internet Governance report holds no surprises

2005-07-13T16:35:00.000+02:00

Internet Governance report holds no surprisesBy Steven Lang13 July 2005Luxembourg- The Working Group on Internet Governance, (WGIG) will cease to exist when it officially launches its report to the world in Geneva on Monday. The as yet un-released report was the subject of a session at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) conference in Luxembourg today(Wednesday).

New initiative to promote content creation in South Africa

2005-05-30T10:33:00.000+02:00

By Wairagala WakabiJOHANNESBURG-- The LINK Centre at Wits University in South Africa and the Centre for Technology and Society of Brazil have announced a collaborative project to boost production of local content in countries of the South.With funding from the Ford Foundation, the "Building the Southern dialogue on intellectual property, media and culture" project which begins in June 2005 will

An African guide to Creative Commons

2005-05-27T16:40:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb AssefaJOHANNESBURG--The “Digital Information Commons: An African Participant’s Guide” was launched yesterday at LINKS Centre here in Johannesburg in a bid to popularise the Creative Common (cc) movement on the African continent. Chris Armstrong, LINK Centre Commons-sense Project researcher said that the document is a ‘living’ document developed as a Wiki, a paper which in the spirit of

Patents: Do they boost or break development?

2005-05-27T16:39:00.000+02:00

By Thrishni SubramoneyJOHANNESBURG--Are patents and copyrights helping or hindering development in Africa? That was the debate that took centre stage at the first session of the final day of the Common Sense conference currently underway at Wits University in Johannesburg.Patents will increase economic growth, was the argument from Bhavini Kalan of the South African National Advisory Council on

Mixter: And the Beat Goes on…

2005-05-27T15:09:00.000+02:00

By Wairagala WakabiJOHANNESBURG--Resampling and remixing music is an area where Creative Commons (cc) licences are rapidly catching on, with credit primarily due to the Mixter project. Quite simply, Mixter is a community music sharing website featuring songs licensed under Creative Commons, where one can listen to, sample or interact with other musicians in almost whatever way they want.At

Real people, lawyers and machines search for more ‘Common Sense’

2005-05-27T15:07:00.001+02:00

By David Kezio-MusokeJOHANNESBURG--After yesterday’s long, serious presentations and debates on the value of Creative Commons (cc) you might still not know that the Creative Commons license (ccL) you are currently using is built on three flexible layers.And you might even find it slightly strange to discover that you still do not need to know about the workings of all three layers when licensing

Real people, lawyers and machines search for more ‘Common Sense’

2005-05-27T15:07:00.000+02:00

Copyrights Affect Human Rights

2005-05-27T15:06:00.000+02:00

By Thrishni SubramoneyJOHANNESBURG--Taking a serious look at intellectual property rights might just be one of the ‘healthiest’ moves the developing world makes. The opening speakers at the Creative Commons conference underway in Johannesburg made a strong case for policy makers to pay more attention to links between improving quality of life and the quest for making knowledge more

e-Learning initiatives stand to gain from ccs

2005-05-27T15:05:00.000+02:00

By Wairagala WakabiJOHANNESBURG--African educationists have showcased some of the leading e-learning and curriculum sharing initiatives on the continent - making a case for the adoption of cc licences to increase the range of resources at their disposal. Most of the initiatives already operate on an open content model that gives users a wide range of rights to use and adapt materials.“There is an

Spreading Creative Commons in Africa

2005-05-27T15:04:00.000+02:00

By Alari Alare KennethJOHANNESBURG--As South Africa continues to celebrate the launch of the Creative Commons South Africa (ccSA), other Africans must now be thinking about opening chapters in their respective countries.This is because the continent enjoys an enormous wealth in creativity but much of it dies untapped and unseen because the local environment is not conducive to harnessing such

New Publishing ideas for the commons

2005-05-27T15:03:00.000+02:00

By David Kezio-MusokeJOHANNESBURG--Two interesting figures were presented here at the Common-sense conference yesterday.The first was that, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is to release 600,000 hours of video – more or less equal to 68 years of continuous viewing, to its online audience under a project called the Creative Archive project. The other was that, Africa produces only 2%

Uncommonly Creative

2005-05-27T15:02:00.001+02:00

By Thrishni SubramoneyJOHANNESBURG--Two women reach up towards the stars, resplendent against a backdrop of green. A featureless man and woman couple hold hands surrounded by a pink glow. Jonathan Ojora’s art is eye-catching to say the least – each telling a distinctly African tale.The Ugandan painter’s work decorates displays the halls at the Creative Commons Conference at Wits University,

Feeding Africa’s Information Starved

2005-05-27T15:02:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb AssefaJOHANNESBURG--Africa is starving - but this starvation has nothing to do with food. Rather it’s a hunger for information - specifically academic writing and research. Finding any well-researched data on Africa, other than that churned out by the Western media or academic institutions, is nearly unattainable.Due to a lack of resources, only a small quantity of materials produced

Blogging: a way to ‘decolonise cyberspace’

2005-05-27T15:01:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb AssefaNdesanjo Macha, 35, a Tanzanian writer and lecturer with a background in law, journalism and socio-informatics, is campaigning in Africa to ‘decolonise cyberspace’ so that African languages and cultures could flourish in it. In order to achieve his goal, he has become the first African to launch a blog in the African language KiSwahili in June 2004.Macha is one of a group of

Les Droits d’Auteur Affecte les Droits de l'Homme

2005-05-27T15:00:00.000+02:00

By: Celestin, Tchamabe. N (Phd Student, Wits University)En examinant en profondeur les droits à la propriété intellectuelle, il est probable que les pays en voie de développement sont entrain d’amorcer un des mouvements les plus “sains” de l’histoire. Le premier intervenant à la conférence qui se tient actuellement à Johannesburg sur la Créativité Commune a donné matière à penser aux

Creative Commons: Unlocking Africa's creativity

2005-05-26T11:29:00.000+02:00

By Thrishni SubramoneyJOHANNESBURG-- If copyright laws are the heavy-duty locks shackling Africa's art and information instead of letting them bask in the attention of a global audience … well, Heather Ford has the key to freeing the continent's creativity.Sitting in her small office at Mwalimu House at Wits University, Johannesburg - Ford, an energetic Rhodes graduate is on a mission to change

Launch party inspires

2005-05-26T11:28:00.000+02:00

By Wairagala WakabiJOHANNESBURG-- Creative Commons (cc), the growing global movement that aims to relax restrictions on the fair use of intellectual property, launched its South African chapter at a festive inaugural event in Johannesburg last night.Professor Larry Lessig, widely regarded as the 'father' of the movement, inspired delegates with an innovative presentation explaining the practical

“Get the law out of the way, and creativity along the way”

2005-05-26T11:26:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb AssefaJOHANNESBURG-- Described by many the father of Creative Commons (cc), Lawrence Lessig, a Stanford law professor and successful author is excited about the three-day “Towards an African Digital Information Commons conference being held in Johannesburg, this week. Creative Commons (cc), an initiative born in the United States with a number of progressive thinkers from various

Broadening the Creative Commons

2005-05-26T11:24:00.000+02:00

By Alari Alare KennethJOHANNESBURG-- More than 120 people from all over the world are participating in a three-day conference at Wits University in Johannesburg, aimed at launching and promoting an African Digital Information Commons.Creative Commons Chairperson Lawrence Lessig, a law professor at Stanford University in the US, opened the conference last night with the launch of Creative Commons

Science, Creative Commons and Britney Spears

2005-05-26T11:20:00.000+02:00

By David Kezio-MusokeJOHANNESBURG-- FOR those who think the fireworks begin today, you have got it wrong. Two days ago, two pre-conference events were already paving the way for last night’s public launch of Creative Commons SA (ccSA) at the Rosebank Hotel here in Johannesburg. On Tuesday morning, a pre-conference workshop under the theme ‘Using Creative Commons (cc) to Licence Publicly-Funded

Accra adopts resolutions en route to Tunis

2005-02-05T20:36:00.000+02:00

By David Kezio-Musoke TODAY marks the end of the Accra regional preparatory conference. As WSIS Africa Agenda goes to print, delegates will tirelessly be putting together a document of resolutions that delegates will adopt and bring to the attention of the other WSIS preparatory conferences before they are carried to Tunis. WSIS Africa Agenda highlights some of the resolutions made by various

Language, a barrier in the African information society

2005-02-04T20:35:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu An inclusive, African information society will remain a dream until communities and individuals have widespread access to the use of ICTs in African languages. Language is a big issue in the WSIS process said Adama Samassekou of the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN). “Building an African information society cannot be done with foreign languages only,” observed Samassekou. In

LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK- What purpose did this conference serve?

2005-02-04T20:35:00.000+02:00

By Angella Nabwowe WSIS Africa Agenda asks: What does this conference mean to the people gathered here at Accra International Conference Centre? Grace Ngban from the northern part of Ghana says that “before I came to this conference, I did not know the difference between soft and hardware. Now I know. I have seen some of the software products by Personal Systems and it is very interesting and

Telemedicine – the gateway to improved health

2005-02-04T20:34:00.000+02:00

By Angella Nabwowe In an effort to improve the delivery of primary health care services to all people, Ethiopia and Uganda as well as several other African countries have adopted information and communication technology (ICT) health initiatives. In Ethiopia two ICT health initiatives, namely the national telemedicine pilot project and the regional networking project on the health sector are

Tunisia ready to host WSIS

2005-02-04T20:33:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb Assefa Tunisian officials attending the Africa Regional Preparatory Conference for World Summit for Information Society (WSIS) here in Accra say that they are ready to make Africa proud by hosting the second phase of the Summit scheduled to take place in November 2005 in Tunis. Guellouz Ridha, advisor to the Tunisian minister of communication and technologies was responding to reports

Award contracts to locals companies

2005-02-04T20:32:00.000+02:00

By David Muwanga WOUBALEM TAYE, a member of the African Technical Advisory Committee of Ethiopia has criticised African governments for marginalising local companies in the awarding of contracts for information communication technology (ICT) services. “Private sector organisations involved in the provision of ICT services should be included in the national programmes instead of marginalising

Africans at WSIS push for “shared knowledge society”

2005-02-04T20:31:00.001+02:00

By Emrakeb Assefa As the Africa Regional preparatory conference for the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) winds down here in Accra today, it is time to take stock of what Africa needs to do if it is to be taken seriously by the global community in bridging the global digital divide. K.Y. Amoako, executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the UN agency co-organising

Civil society groups mad as hell

2005-02-04T20:31:00.000+02:00

By Remmy Nweke The African Civil Society for the Information Society (ACSIS) yesterday sent a letter of complaint to the president of the conference demanding to know why they had been forbidden from actively participating at the opening ceremony. “We were denied a speech slot, thereby barring us from bringing the grassroots message to the conference,” read the document titled “Civil Society

No more drama in my life

2005-02-04T20:30:00.000+02:00

By Haru Mutasa In a few short months FOSS, the Free and Open Source Software operating system “Linux”, has made Yinka Adeyemo’s life a lot less stressful. “I have no more angry clients breathing down his neck every time when things don’t work and there are no more late night calls to fix faulty computers,” said the calm computer engineer. His business, Microleb in Ibadan Nigeria, sells and

“It was still only men speaking”

2005-02-04T20:29:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu ACCRA- Gender is still an issue in the WSIS process said Lettie Longwe from the WSIS - Gender Caucus secretariat. “How many African women have to come to attend the WSIS? There’s still a gender imbalance. Look at the opening ceremony, it was only men speaking,” said Longwe. She said the information society cannot be complete without the active engagement and involvement of African

Genève donne le coup d’envoi le 14 mars prochain

2005-02-04T20:29:00.000+02:00

Lancement du Fonds de solidarité numérique Par Baba Thiam Le Fonds de solidarité numérique sera lancé officiellement le 14 mars prochain à Genève. L’information a été révélée dans un message délivré par le ministre des Télécommunications et des Nouvelles technologies de l’information et de la communication (Ntic), Joseph Ndong, dans l’allocution du message du président de la République du

TIC pour le développement socio-économique : Notre diversité est notre force

2005-02-04T20:28:00.000+02:00

Par Gervais J. Henrie. Malgré la diversité de l'expérience africaine, les défis du continentsont les mêmes, retient la conclusion d'un atelier sur l'importance dela Technologie de l'information et de la communication pour ledéveloppement socio-économique, qui a lieu à Accra. Les défis identifiés sont le manque de ressources, l'insuffisance decapacités humaines et institutionnels et un manque de

Problématique du contenu local - Des chercheurs africains sur la bonne voie

2005-02-04T20:27:00.000+02:00

La richesse et la diversité des langues africaines n’ont pas encore leur véritable place dans le réseau des réseaux. Pour combler le fossé linguistique, un réseau de chercheurs africains s’active depuis quelque temps. La mise en place des ‘’langues africaines et développement du contenu dans le cyberespace’’ montre que les universitaires sont sur la bonne voie. L’expérience malienne d’un

Nice to play with, if you have the cash

2005-02-04T20:26:00.001+02:00

By Haru Mutasa ACCRA- Thomas Olawale unfolds his laptop, types in a random number onto what looks like a picture of a standard telephone and waits patiently for the phone at the end of his booth to start ringing. The proof is in the pudding, and he repeats the process one more time to convert the unbelievers - curious onlookers amazed by what they have just seen. “It really is a simple process,

All African states to have national ICT plans by 2006

2005-02-04T20:26:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb Assefa ACCRA- By the end of 2006, all African countries must put in place national information and communication technologies (ICTs) plans if they are to meet the promises made during the Geneva phase of the World Summit of Information Society (WSIS) in December 2004. World leaders agreed to set up national e-strategies as one of the activities set out in the WSIS Plan of Action. An

Stop your hand-wringing mentality

2005-02-04T20:25:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb Assefa ACCRA- The message put across during the African Civil Society forum held at the WSIS Africa Regional Preparatory Conference was simple: “If we want to get listened to at global negotiation tables, we should save ourselves, and not expect saving from outsiders.” This is in sharp contrast to the earlier talks at the WSIS preparatory committee meetings (prepcoms) where African

Better ICTs would have saved many tsunami victims

2005-02-04T20:23:00.000+02:00

By Remmy Nweke ACCRA- Better information and communications technologies (ICTs) would have saved the lives of many people who perished in the recent Indian ocean tsunami wave disaster said Yoshio Utsumi, secretary-general of the International Telecommunications Union. He used this example to illustrate the very real value ICTs can have in the lives of ordinary people. Addressing the plenary

There’ll be life after Tunis - we’ll make sure of it

2005-02-04T20:21:00.000+02:00

By Haru Mutasa ACCRA- While others wonder what’s next after Tunis, young people at the Accra conference have taken matters into their own hands and won’t see their hard work die prematurely. “We are moving further than just discussing and talking about ICTs and development,” said Gbenga Sesan a coordinator of the African Youth Initiative a voluntary youth organisation set up in 2002 to promote

A need for numbers

2005-02-04T20:20:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu Only nine African countries replied to the questionnaire on the WSIS Plan of Action adopted at Geneva phase of WSIS. Shortly after the summit in Switzerland, the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Bamako Bureau sent African states a questionnaire on all aspects of the Plan of Action (PoA). The questionnaire specifically asked respondents about problems encountered

OPINION: From Bamako To Accra: Drumming Support for Africa’s Youth

2005-02-04T20:19:00.000+02:00

by ‘Gbenga Sesan ACCRA- Africa held the first regional preparatory meeting for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) at the Palais des Congrès in Bamako, Republic of Mali in May 2002. The conference had representatives from 51 African countries, delegates from many other countries and representatives of African and global entities, the private sector and civil society. The meeting

VoIP opens new commercial opportunities

2005-02-04T20:18:00.001+02:00

By Wanjohi Kabukuru ACCRA- New technologies such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) can help African countries achieve development targets. South Africa has adopted a strategy to generate jobs by attracting international call centres to the country. These centres, already widespread in India, provide outsourced services using high bandwidth connections and VoIP

East Africa needs access and infrastructure

2005-02-04T20:18:00.000+02:00

By Wanjohi Kabukuru ACCRA- Infrastructure to help Africa achieve an all-inclusive information and knowledge society is still lacking. The latest statistics by the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) indicate that the continent has the lowest internet penetration with slightly over 100 users for every 10 000 people. This figure succinctly explains the digital division that exists when

E-Ghana project is on course

2005-02-04T20:17:00.000+02:00

By Remmy Nweke ACCRA- Clement Dzidonu, chairman of the Ghana National ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee, says that the 20-year ICT development plan for the country is on course. He made this assertion in a chat with Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) at the on-going, second preparatory conference for the second phase of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), taking place at the

Nigeria Wants Africa to Harmonise Telecoms Regulations, Says Ndukwe

2005-02-04T20:15:00.000+02:00

By Shina Badaru ACCRA- Nigeria has urged African regulatory agencies and telecoms administrations to forge an alliance to harmonise telecom laws as a first step towards the vision of a single continental regulator. Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ernest Ndukwe, said in an interview that while growing calls for a single African regulator is commendable,

Afro-Arab summit – on the road to Tunis

2005-02-04T20:14:00.000+02:00

By Wanjohi KabukuruACCRA- Egypt has already laid out a red carpet for the forthcoming Afro-Arab summit to be held in preparation for the Tunis phase of WSIS. Reiterating Egypt’s proposal, which was originally floated last year, the Egyptian delegation here in Accra announced yesterday that plans have already been finalised for the high-level meeting. The Afro-Arab summit is scheduled for this May

AfriNIC takes full responsibility for Africa’s IP numbers this year

2005-02-04T20:12:00.000+02:00

By David Kezio-MusokeACCRA- Africa will no longer have to rely on other Regional Internet Registry (RIR) bodies, Adiel A. Akplogan the Chief Executive Officer of the African Registry for Internet Numbers (AfriNIC) has said. Akplogan told Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) here at the Accra regional summit, that AfriNIC is already managing the first stage of registering internet end-users with RIRs

Organisation du Sommet Régional : Le Ghana n’a pas déçu

2005-02-03T00:01:00.018+02:00

Par Gervais J. Henrie Le Ghana, à l’heure actuelle, est mieux placé dans le développement des Technologie de l’information et de la communication (TIC), par rapport à beaucoup d’autres pays africains, a déclaré le président du Comité National d’organisation du SMSI d’Accra. ‘Cette conférence est comme une récompense à notre travail’ poursuit M. Mike Gizo, avant de faire remarquer que les

Gestion des ressources Internet : Un défi à relever pour l’Afrique

2005-02-03T00:01:00.017+02:00

Par Baba Thiam Le continent noir a un véritable défi à relever dans le cadre de la gouvernance de l’Internet. La gestion des ressources du réseau des réseaux doit revenir aux Africains. En d’autres termes, il urge d’établir des règles. A travers the African registry for internet numbers (Afrinic), l’espoir est permis. Au deuxième jour des ateliers préparatoires sur la société de l’information

Highway Africa News Agency: De grandes ambitions déjà

2005-02-03T00:01:00.016+02:00

Par Gervais J. Henrie Agée seulement de quatorze mois, Highway Africa News Agency essaie de percer de nouveaux territoires en Afrique. Le but principal de cette organisation est de renforcer la participation des populations africaines à une société d’information globale, à travers une sensibilisation par les media. Cette agence de presse est établie à Grahamstown en Afrique du Sud en 2003.

La Tunisie accueille le SMSI - Le choix est-il opportun ?

2005-02-03T00:01:00.015+02:00

Par Baba Thiam Certaines organisations de défense des libertés n’hésitent pas à assimiler la Tunisie à une terre de répression qui va accueillir le Sommet Mondial de la Société de l’information (SMSI). Une rencontre de libertés en terre de répression. Le choix est-il opportun ? A cette question, l’universitaire Mustapha Masmoudi invoque l’histoire pour fixer le décor : ‘’La Tunisie a toujours

Les médias dans la société de l’information - Un pont qui relie les décideurs et les populations

2005-02-03T00:01:00.014+02:00

Par Baba Thiam La société de l’information qui a fini de se dessiner sous nos tropiques est loin d’être appréhendée à sa juste valeur par les populations. Les médias tentent tant bien que mal de combler le fossé en jetant un pont entre les décideurs et les communautés de base. La radio communautaire Simbani (Ndlr : Parole en swahili) couvre le rendez-vous d’Accra sur la route de Tunis. Le temps

One African SIM-card

2005-02-03T00:01:00.013+02:00

By Angella Nabwowe In an effort to reduce call costs between countries, facilitate commerce and regional integration, the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) has embarked on an ambitious project to develop a single SIM-card usable right across the African continent. A Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card is a small printed circuit board that must be inserted in any GSM-based mobile phone

Indigenous groups turn out low

2005-02-03T00:01:00.012+02:00

By Brenda Zulu Indigenous groups are not at all well represented at the on-going WSIS Africa preparatory conference taking place in Accra. A check by Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) revealed that a delegation of seven men and one women, representing the royalty of Osu Alata, are the only indigenous groups at the conference. Leader of the Osu Alata Dzasetse, Hansen Nii Nortey Palm said they

Highway Africa News Agency comes to Accra

2005-02-03T00:01:00.011+02:00

By Gervais J. Henrie ICT issues are not just for the elites or new audiences from the First World, according to Highway Africa News Agency’s (HANA) editor Steve Lang. It was this simple realisation that led to the creation of Africa’s first multi-media news agency specialising in information and communication technology issues (ICTs). ‘There was a need to build a core group of IT journalists, to

Africa! ...give rural women a voice

2005-02-03T00:01:00.010+02:00

By Brenda Zulu The African regional preparatory conference for the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) has called on people to give more consideration and a voice to the rural women of Africa. African women continue to face uphill battles to get their voices and concerns heard in development matters, the workshop on ICTs and poverty reduction revealed when Salamatu Garba, national

‘Busy’ puts Ghanaians on the digital map

2005-02-03T00:01:00.009+02:00

By Emrakeb Assefa ACCRA – A bustling setting with Ghanaians surfing the internet typifies a day at BusyInternet, an internet hub situated in the heart of Accra, Ghana. Combining a unique mix of social and business objectives, BusyInternet boasts that it provides the best IT services in Africa. The boasting is not hollow; as any visitor who enters the two-story BusyInternet building would soon

Uganda awaits’ WSIS phase Two in Tunis on the Solidarity Fund

2005-02-03T00:01:00.008+02:00

By David Muwanga Uganda is waiting for a decision from the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) phase two before committing itself to the Digital Solidarity Fund (DSF). “Though Uganda and other developing countries supported the establishment of the fund, it was not approved by the WSIS phase one summit in Geneva in 2003,” said Patrick Mwesigwa, the technical director of the Uganda

The little people aren’t so little anymore

2005-02-03T00:01:00.007+02:00

By Haru Mutasa The auditorium packed to capacity with delegates spilling onto the floor is all the proof one needs to understand why the ICANN exhibition booth at the conference had over 100 delegates wanting information on the first day. Seventeen-year-old Jude Akwei from Accra Academy, a secondary school in the greater Accra region was still scribbling in his notebook as he walked out of the

A seamstress and a license

2005-02-03T00:01:00.006+02:00

By Haru Mutasa Outside one of the meeting rooms at the conference, Akos Nyikor hurriedly dresses a coat hanger with a traditional Ghanaian garment made by a local seamstress and quietly sets up her booth. Eight years ago Akos and her sister Ester started up their small dressmaking business in Accra and she hopes to sell a few garments to delegates. “I buy cloth from the local market and make

African leaders call for regional integration

2005-02-03T00:01:00.005+02:00

By Angella Nabwowe Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame says if Africans are to receive greater access to information and communications technologies, the Geneva Plan of Action alone will not deliver the desired results. He said that we will also need to work towards achieving greater regional cooperation. Paul Kagame was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Africa Regional preparatory conference

All Rwandan secondary schools to be connected by 2017

2005-02-03T00:01:00.004+02:00

Highway Africa News Agency (HANA)’s David Kezio-Musoke interviewed president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame on the future ICT prospects of Rwanda and his involvement in the Accra preparatory regional summit. Below are excerpts of the interview. QUESTION: While other countries let the process of making an effective ICT policy die out at ministerial level, Rwanda together with other African countries such

International agencies to fund Africa’s DSF

2005-02-03T00:01:00.003+02:00

By David MuwangaAn African agency working to bridge the digital divide between Africa and the developed west, has identified partners who are prepared to contribute towards the Digital Solidarity Fund (DSF). The partners identified by the African Digital Initiatives and Financing Agency (ADIFA) include the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Union and the Global Knowledge

Ghana is up to speed

2005-02-03T00:01:00.002+02:00

By Gervais J. Henrie Despite competing against continental heavyweights South Africa and Egypt, Ghana managed to come out tops to the host of the WSIS Africa Regional Conference, currently being held here in Accra. Head of the National Planning Committee for the conference, Mike Gizo sees this as another symbol of his country’s vision to embrace the goals of ICTs for development. Speaking

Africa unite or die

2005-02-03T00:01:00.001+02:00

By Haru Mutasa Ghanaian president John Agyekum Kufuor yesterday called on Africans to unite and present a common front on issues affecting the continent at PrepCom II in Geneva later this month. Addressing delegates at the official opening of the second African Regional Preparatory Conference for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Kufuor said the gathering should urgently spell

Pomp and fanfare for regional conference opening

2005-02-02T21:13:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb Assefa ACCRA- The Africa Regional preparatory conference for the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) opened yesterday with pomp and fanfare here in Accra, Ghana under the theme of “Access: Africa’s key to an inclusive information society.” The three-day conference, officially opened by John Kufuor, president of Ghana is a gathering of African ICT and communications officials,

Brèves… Brèves… Sur la route de Tunis 2005 - Accra veut harmoniser les positions

2005-02-01T21:43:00.000+02:00

Par Baba Thiam ACCRA- Le sommet régional préparatoire d’Accra est d’une importance capitale pour le continent africain. Les conclusions de cette réunion, qui s’est ouverte le 28 janvier et qui prendra fin le 4 février prochain, permettront aux acteurs de la société civile, aux décideurs politiques et au secteur privé de s’engager dans la même direction. ‘’Ce sommet permet aux Africains d’

Le processus est sur de bons rails

2005-02-01T21:41:00.000+02:00

Par Baba Thiam ACCRA- C’est au sortir de la conférence sur les enjeux des NTIC pour l’Afrique tenue en 1996 à Genève que les signes annonciateurs du Sommet mondial sur la société de l’information (SMSI) sont devenus perceptibles. Neuf ans après avoir esquissé les passerelles de l’information et de la communication, le processus semble être sur de bons rails. Secrétaire exécutif du Fonds de

Revue de la Presse

2005-02-01T21:39:00.000+02:00

Par Gervais J. Henrie ACCRA- • L’accès aux téléphone, le réseaux d’Internet et l’ordinateur, dans les régions rurales d’Afrique est toujours hors de question, peut-on lire dans l’article principal du quotidien de ce sommet régional préparatoire du SMSI d’Accra. Cette situation existe encore malgré le processus de la création d’une société de l’information inclusive aux niveaux national,

WSIS: Africa seeks role in internet governance

2005-02-01T21:37:00.000+02:00

By Shina Badaru ACCRA- As the question of who manages the Internet continues to generate increasing global attention, African stakeholders are pushing for a more effective role for the continent’s user community in the governance of global information infrastructures. This topic was one of the crucial issues that attracted heated debate at the pre-conference workshops of the second African

ECA, FAO develop ICT programmes targeting poor in Africa

2005-02-01T21:33:00.000+02:00

By David Muwanga ACCRA- The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has for several years implemented an ICT advisory programme aimed at helping African countries provide ICT services to enrich the lives of poor people in Africa. This programme, known as National Information Communication Infrastructure (NICI) or e-strategies, seeks to help countries create an enabling environment for

Learning how to report on the information society

2005-02-01T21:29:00.000+02:00

By Remmy Nweke ACCRA- Twenty West African journalists have received intensive training on how to report on the information society in a three day course ahead of the African regional preparatory meeting for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). A number of non governmental organisations collaborated to provide a workshop entitled “Reporting the Information Society” at the

Africa hot at world forums

2005-02-01T21:26:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu ACCRA- As Africans meet in Ghana to discuss how to broaden access to information technologies in Africa, two completely different, and frequently opposing forums have been debating social and financial issues that will undoubtedly affect Africa. The World Economic Forum (WEF) an annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland heard a call for action on African debt relief from a panel of

E-cart before e-horse policy?

2005-02-01T21:24:00.000+02:00

My view - by Dr Dayo Ogunyemi ACCRA- In the West, e-commerce and other internet-driven innovations were natural by-products of largely unfettered private sector entrepreneurial zeal applied to communications network access that relentlessly improved in terms of accessibility and quality. Among the global e-innovators e-policy followed e-business, which was enabled by an explosion in internet

Less talk more action now, please

2005-02-01T21:22:00.000+02:00

By Haru Mutasa ACCRA- The gist of Saturday’s pre-conference workshop on Internet Governance was simple – ‘talk is cheap - we need to now minimise what is said at these gatherings and move into action’. “We as Africans don’t have the participatory culture of discussion and debate and we need to drive this participatory process,” said Adiel Akplogan, CEO of the African Network Information Centre (

Friends of the Chair guide WSIS negotiations

2005-02-01T21:20:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb Assefa ACCRA- A critical difference between the second phase of preparatory committee meetings (prepcoms) of the World Summit for Information Society (WSIS) and the previous versions held in Geneva, Switzerland is that it has an actual document that serves as a basis for negotiations. Unlike first phase WSIS precoms, where intense discussions took place from June to December 2003 in a

ICT funding still tops the agenda at WSIS

2005-02-01T21:18:00.000+02:00

By Emrakeb Assefa ACCRA- One of the two main, unresolved issues of the first phase of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) in December 2003 relates to the question of who pays the bills for bridging the digital divide between the haves and the have-nots. As such, the financing question is on the top of the agenda at the African Regional preparatory conference for the WSIS opening today

Implementing policies is of paramount importance

2005-02-01T21:16:00.000+02:00

By David Kezio-Musoke ACCRA- Ghana this week becomes an historic stopover in an African journey towards an ‘Information Society’ that began in Bamako, Mali in 2002. Mali hosted the first African regional conference of the World Summit for Information Society (WSIS). But as we draw nearer to the second phase of the United Nations (UN) sponsored summit in Tunis later this year, there is one

WSIS 101 - the story in a nutshell

2005-02-01T21:10:00.000+02:00

By Haru Mutasa ACCRA- In rural communities of Africa owning a computer is out of the question. Where computers do exist there aren’t enough or are too expensive for everyone to use. Subsistence wages do not begin to cover the cost of hardware, software or computer lessons that facilitate access to information on the economy, education and healthcare information that could help improve living

WSIS Africa regional conference opens today

2005-02-01T21:07:00.000+02:00

By Angella Nabwowe ACCRA- Ghanaian President John Kufuor is today expected to officially open the Africa Regional World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) preparatory meeting at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), Ghana. The meeting precedes the second phase of the WSIS to be held in Tunis, Tunisia in November, 2005. The theme for the three-day conference (February 2-4, 2005) is,

Internet Governance - a virtual war in a real battle

2005-01-28T17:17:00.000+02:00

By Steven Lang A new, virtual battle in a real war over who should run the internethas already begun in a gathering known as the Working Group on Internet Governance or WGIG. The nondescript title belies the potential importance of its recommendations - will the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) continue to coordinate registries, or will a UN agency be given overall

Bidders line up for .net domain names registry

2004-12-05T09:31:00.000+02:00

By Rebecca Wanjiku, Highway Africa News Agency, CAPE TOWN - The role of American corporations in managing domain name registries is destined to provoke heated debates as various companies submit and defend their respective bids for the .net domain name registry. Already, information communication

New travel registry set to change online searches

2004-12-04T13:12:00.000+02:00

By Rebecca Wanjiku, Highway Africa News Agency CAPE TOWN - Are you facing the agony of locating an ideal hotel or travel agent over the internet? You can brace yourself for better times because the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has entered into technical and commercial agreements on a proposed .travel domain name registry. In this registry, you will

Reaching Out to Africa

2004-12-04T11:27:00.000+02:00

By Thrishni Subramoney Highway Africa News Agency ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is holding a major conference in Cape Town as part of its commitment to reach out to internet users around the world. Theresa Swinehart, ICANN's General Manager in Global Partnerships, said the organisation is doing its best to engage the world by holding its tri-annual meetings in

2004-12-03T13:34:00.000+02:00

< style="font-family: arial;">Internet in Africa to become more accessible and more affordable. African internet service providers (ISPs) struggling to survive in Internet Protocol registries based in America and Europe can hold their breath until April 2005, when the African Network

2004-12-02T17:42:00.000+02:00

At the end of the day it's about reaching the people By Haru Mutasa Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) A Sudanese delegate at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) conference in Cape Town stands and speaks about his home country. “In Sudan we started what is called the

2004-12-02T17:08:00.000+02:00

Big turn-out at ICANN conference By Haru Mutasa Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) Over 600 delegates are attending the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) conference in Cape Town, the fourth time such a meeting has been held in Africa. Addressing journalists last night,

2004-12-02T13:20:00.000+02:00

Governments Should Have Voice in Internet Governance, says South African Minister Cape Town By Thrishni Subramoney Highway Africa News Agency South African Communications Minister, Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has called on Internet authorities to allow governments of developing countries to have more of a say in how the Internet is governed. Matsepe-Casaburri was officially welcoming delegates