Promoting rural access and leveraging ICTs for broader development in Africa

LONDON, March 10, 2010 – The Commonwealth African Rural Connectivity Initiative (COMARCI) took another step towards achieving real and felt results in connecting unconnected rural communities in Africa, when a 2-day in-country COMARCI workshop for Sierra Leone, hosted by the National Communications Commission of Sierra Leone, was launched today in Makeni.

COMARCI was initiated in 2007 as a Pan-Commonwealth response to the perennial challenge of asymmetric connectivity that tends to marginalise rural areas. Having studied the status of Commonwealth Africa in terms of connectivity, policies, regulation and adoption of technology in the context of comparative policies and regulation of five countries – Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia and the US, together with innovative technologies and novel business models, the CTO issued the African Rural Connectivity Report in December 2008. Realising that to bring connectivity to marginalised communities require a more active role by stakeholders, the CTO is conducting a series of in-country workshops to facilitate the building of Public Private Peoples partnerships. The resulting partnerships are expected to bring new connectivity and new services to rural communities.

The workshop in Makeni is being attended by some 300 delegates representing all the ICT operators, some manufacturers, donors and importantly, community representatives, who will examine and debate issues impacting rural connectivity. National Communications Commission is facilitating these consultations with the help of the CTO and will help to identify potential partnerships for nurturing. These partnerships will be anchored on local needs as community representatives will be involved in the process from an early stage.

On behalf of President Ernest Bai Koroma, the workshop was officially launched by the Minister of Presidential Affairs Hon Joseph Koroma, who drew the attention of delegates to the need to empower local people and communities through ICT connectivity by using Public Private Peoples partnerships.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop attended by several Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentarians, operators, civil society organisations and other stakeholders, the Hon Minister of Information and Communications, Mr I. B. Kargbo referred to the importance the Government of Sierra Leone attaches to ICTs.

“Sierra Leone is the second country on the African Continent to have its President as the head of the ICT Council, after Rwanda. We understand and appreciate the role played by various stakeholders in improving ICT access and services in order to leverage the full potentials of ICTs for broader development goals. In that sense it is encouraging to note that COMARCI focuses on not only the Public and Private sectors, but has extended the engagement to the Peoples sector as well.”

Adding his words of encouragement, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, the Chief Executive Officer of the CTO said that “these COMARCI workshops are not an end in themselves. They are rather a means to an end, one that we all have been pursuing for a long time – connecting unconnected rural communities so they can have access to knowledge. Our aim is not simply to connect all but to provide appropriate connectivity for all, without which the vast majority of the people of our member countries will not be able to benefit from the marvels of modern ICTs”.

Importantly the Makeni workshop has drawn attendance by a number of regulators of the region who are keen to observe the next phase of COMARCI at work with a view to replicating this successful model in their countries including representatives of regulators of Gambia, Ghana and the West African Regulatory Assembly (WATRA) are also in attendance.

The National Communications Commission under the able guidance of the Chairman Mr Siray Timbo has been able to gather a large number of key stakeholders to ensure that the outcomes of the workshop form the basis of successful implementation of rural connectivity projects. The heavy presence of civil society representatives and the traditional chiefs of Sierra Leone was a striking feature of the workshop and bodes well for the activities beyond-Makeni. Other community–based organisations represented agricultural cooperations, health service workers, teacher unions, mining and forestry societies, and women’s associations.

About CTO

With a history dating back to 1901, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international development partnership between the Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, businesses and civil society organisations. CTO provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

With its headquarters in London and recipient members based in Europe, the Caribbean, Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions, the CTO has been at the centre of continuous and extensive international communications development funding, co-operation and assistance programmes. CTO’s mission is to reduce global poverty through the more efficient utilization of ICTs, and its development agenda reflects the priorities set in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (www.cto.int)

MEDIA CONTACTS

For media enquiries, please contact:

Rumana Bukht

Senior Marketing and Communications Officer

T: + 44 (0) 208 600 3800, E: r.bukht@cto.int

FAZ has maintained that Simataa Simataa is still suspended and that FAZ displinary committee Chairperson Sunday Nkonde can not overrule a decision of the executive committee which appointed him. the FAZ displinary Committee has nulified the suspension of Amakumba Stars proprietor Simataa Simataa from all soccer activities.

Nkonde said the executive committee’s decision to suspend Simataa is unconstitutional. Nkonde said the displinary committee has not met to hear Simataa’s case. According to Nkonde, the FAZ executive committee does not have powers to suspend an official on displinary grounds.The FAZ constitution provides for seperation of powers, so it is wrong for FAZ to be the complainant, prosecutor and judges stated Nkonde.

Simataa was suspendede on Monday for allegedly bringing the game into disrepute, but he has since appealed against the indefinate ban. FAZ General Secretary George Kasengele confirmed receiving the letter of appeal from Simataa. he stated that Simataa contended in his letter that the executive has no powers to suspended him.

FAZ President Kalusha Bwalya said Nkonde has no power to overrule the executive and dared him to resign if he is not happy with the decision. Kalusha said FAZ acted within it’s jurisdiction and wondered why Nkonde is allegedly misleading people that he can overrule the supreme organ. As the appointing authority, the executive committee enjoyed supremacy over the displinary committee chairman.

The Bank of Zambia has approved the acquisation of 80% shareholding in Intermarket Bank to Afriland First Bank Group of Cameroon. The bank has also announced plans to significantly increase the capital of the bank by expanding to rural areas, focusing on lending to small and medium enterprises, agriculture and corporate banking institutions.

Joseph Toubi, Intermarket Bank Chairman, said the bank is interested in investing in Zambia due to a sound human capital mainly comprising of young people and complement businesses between Zambia and Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr Toubi, who is also Afriland First Bank Group Executive Vice President for Business Development and International Relations, however could not disclose the value of the 80% share purchase in the bank saying being in the market the agreed price is between the buyer and the seller. He said they had purchased the shares and legally transferred them to the bank.

Mr toubi stated that the bank will maintain the current name branding during the transition period of three years, after which the bank will bring in a global name and image. The bak will also retain all the workers depending on their hard work and commitment to achiving personal objectives.

Outgoing Managing Director for Intermarket Bank Subhrendu Chartterji said BOZ approved the sale of the shares in the bank in February. He said the investment will enable Sabre Capital to meet its undertaking to BOZ to reduce it’s shareholding to less than 25% and comply with the regulations under the Banking and Financial Service Act.

Mr. Toubi has been appointed Acting Board Chairman of Intermarket Bank in the new changes in its management structure replacing the out-going chairman Mr Mutila Mulenga. Mr Ackim Sinkala is the new Managing Director replacing Mr Chartterji who resigned in that capacity but will remain on the banks board as Sabre Capital’s representative

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati said in an interview that Zambia has secured a concessional loan of US$ 1 billion from the government for investment in development projects in hydro power, housing, road infrastructure and other sectors. This is in addition to the US$ 10 million grant touse for whatever purpose towards the completion of the Ndola Stadium.

Zambia was the first country to visit China after the Forum for Africa China Cooperation (FOCAC) hence it was able to make presentations to Chinese authorities for various projects amounting to US$1 billion. During the FOCAC meeting in Eygpt last November China made pledges on its cooperation with Africa including a provision of US$10 billion in concessional financing for various projects in African countries. China also pledged US$1 billion to support small and medium entrepreneurs.

Apart from the funds, Zambia was able to sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with commercial institutions in China. One MoU was signed between Zambia and China Non Ferrous Metals, which was currently developing the Chambeshi Multi Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) to also develop the Lusaka sub-zone. the second, was with China Africa Development Fund which has appointed Zambia as regional office on the continent. A third one is with Beijing Gold Common Mining Investment Company to deal in the construction industry.

Among the Zambian companies which travelled with the President one business entity, Biomass PLC, which managed to enter into a joint venture with Walhan Kaida for the development of bio-diesel using jathropha. the initial investment for this project is US$400 million and is purely private sector investment, Mr Mutati stated.

The Electoral Commision of Zambia (ECZ), with the assiatnce of the United Nations (UN), will this year use Biometric technology to conduct voter registration. Biometric technology is used to measure and analyze human body characteristics, such as fingerprints, for for either identification or verification purposes. The UN, through its Development Programme (UNDP), has already selected a company called Smartmatic to provide the new technologies for the improvement of the electoral register for ECZ. For the first stage of the project, Smartmatic will supply ECZ with 1,000 mobile electronic biometric registry units, known as PARkits. This kit will include all hardware and software components, with their respective protective cases, training services, technical assistance and a one-year warranty. Smartmatic, a leading provider of technological solutions for governments, was selected after the UN conducted a rigorous testing of numerous identity and registry technologies. “We are very excited to be selected by the UNDP for this important project and to have the opportunity to provide the Republic of Zambia with our advanced technology to enhance their electoral register”, said Antonio Mugica, Smartmatic’s CEO.

The PARkit units that will be used in Zambia are all equipped with Smartmatic’s registration application and with electrical backup components that ensure its autonomy for 8 straight hours. The UNDP expects recruiting of operators to start on the second week of April and the electoral registration operations to begin in May 2010.The voter registration project in Zambia is part of the UNDP’s ongoing commitment to improve the performance of democratic governments. The UNDP invests 34% of its resources each year in projects in support of democratic governments and provides on-the-ground services in 166 countries. Smartmatic specialises in fully-automated, electronic voting systems which they claim are completely secure, reliable and auditable.

In January this year, their electronic voting system was successfully used in a parliamentary elections in ,Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the PARMobile Kit used for Identity Registration Venezuelan coast. The big test for the company’s voting system will be in Phillipines, where that country’s Electoral Commission has deployed an automated electronic system by Smartmatic for use in this year’s May elections. It is however not clear weather the ECZ will use Smartmatic’s automated electoral systems or just use their voter registration component. While automated voting system are claimed to deliver results timely and with confidence, many people are still sceptical of the successful deployment of such an operation in Zambia at the moment because of infrastructure challenges. Timely release of results has been at the centre of frustration that many a Zambian voters and Political parties have had to endure in the last couple of elections. Any solution to address this problem will roundly be welcomed by all parties involved

A Linekar Mwikisa extra time goal propelled Green Buffaloes to win the Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Charity Shield to give coach Aggrey Chiyangi his first career silverware as a coach.

Buffaloes stepped the game in the second half after a poor 45 minutes which Zesco United dominated. After a goalless 90 minutes, the game went to extra time. And it was the brilliance of Kennedy Chola that gave Buffaloes the all important goal.

Chola picked up the ball in his own half and beat a cluster of Zesco United before unleashing a defence splitting pass to Mwikisa who slotted it home to give the soldiers the lead. Four minutes later, Zesco suffered a major blow as substitute Innocent Mwaba was given marching orders for stamping a Buffaloes player.

The red-card rejuvented the Ndola side but buffaloes packed the bus and tried to play counter-attacking football with the Chola, John Musukwa and Mwikisa being the main axis.

Filling knowledge gaps through meaningful collaboration with WAFICT 2010

LONDON, March 5, 2010 – The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is to join forces with Africa’s foremost ICT Magazine, IT & Telecom Digest, to organise the 2nd Annual West African ICT Congress 2010 (WAFICT 2010). The event, scheduled to take place from 1-3 June 2010 at the ultra-modern Eko Hotel Expo Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria, will bring together telecom experts, policy makers, regulatory agencies, investors, operators, technology and equipment manufacturers and other key stakeholders from the West African sub-region to deliberate on strategies to promote the development of ICTs in West Africa.

The conference, initiated in 2009 by IT & Telecom Digest, will run alongside the West African International Telecommunications and Information Technology exhibition (W.Afri.Tel), now in its 10th year. Following the collaborative agreement between CTO and IT & Telecom Digest, West Africa, a region whose telecom industry has been the centre of attention across the world in the past decade, will benefit from the rich knowledge, expert resources and an array of international speaker line up, rarely seen in the sub-region.

Speaking on the partnership, the Chief Executive of the CTO, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who was the keynote speaker at the WAFICT Congress 2009, described the collaboration as timely. He stated that “West Africa, and indeed, many other developing countries in Africa and within the Commonwealth, need the expertise and knowledge that the CTO can bring to the table. Collaborating with IT & Telecom Digest, a magazine that has for the past decade been an effective player in helping promote the growth of the sub-region’s telecom sector, will provide additional benefits to the governments, operators, and people alike.”

Commenting on the partnership, Editor-in-Chief of IT & Telecom Digest, Mr. Mkpe Abang said, “When we initiated this congress last year, our mission was to bring the best from both worlds, the developed and the developing, which would benefit the ICT sector and thereby our people. Collaborating with the CTO is more than just a dream come true, because the organisation brings with it extensive experience within the telecom/ICT sector, a global footprint and widespread reach in the entire Commonwealth, and a unique database of ICT professionals and expertise that we can tap into for the growth of West Africa as a whole.”

The collaboration will allow CTO to live up to its mandate, that of providing socio-economic capacity building services to developing Commonwealth countries and being a key player in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations.

About IT & Telecom Digest

IT & Telecom Digest commenced publishing in January 2000. In May 2003, the monthly magazine won the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa first prize Award on Reporting ICT Research and Innovation in the first African Information Society Initiative (AISI) Media Awards by the UN ECA.

Besides being official media partner for several events across the world, IT & Telecom Digest is the Sole Nigeria Agent to Exhibition Management Services (Pty) of South Africa, organisers of the West African International Telecommunications and Information Communications Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel). The magazine recently initiated a landmark programme, the African Telecom Hall of Fame Lecture Series as an addition to the series of events and programmes it organises yearly. (www.ittelecomdigest.com); (www.westafricanictcongress.com)

MEDIA CONTACTS

For media enquiries please contact:

Yomi Olusile

Deputy Manager, Advertisement & Marketing

+234 802 312 1375

yomio@ittelecomdigest.com; info@ittelecomdigest.com

OR

Lara Ijaola

+234 803 233 6758

larai@ittelecomdigest.com

About CTO

With a history dating back to 1901, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international development partnership between the Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, businesses and civil society organisations. CTO provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

With its headquarters in London and recipient members based in Europe, the Caribbean, Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions, the CTO has been at the centre of continuous and extensive international communications development funding, co-operation and assistance programmes. CTO’s mission is to reduce global poverty through the more efficient utilization of ICTs, and its development agenda reflects the priorities set in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (www.cto.int)

MEDIA CONTACTS

For media enquiries please contact:

Samuel Fletcher

Manager – International Events & Corporate Communications

T: + 44 (0) 208 600 3809

E: s.fletcher@cto.int

OR

Rumana Bukht

Senior Marketing and Communications Officer

T: + 44 (0) 208 600 3800

E: r.bukht@cto.int