Africa`s ICT future shaped in Cairo

Johannesburg, 11 May 2004

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom Africa 2004 Exhibition, which ended in Cairo on Saturday, was hailed as helping to shape the region`s future in terms of its ICT industry.

Participants used the event to explore the potential that Africa`s telecommunications market has to offer, while examining key trends which have defined the region`s industry to date as well as forging alliances to help to shape the industry for the future.

"Telecom Africa 2004 has helped to cement awareness of the kinds of technology which should be utilised, and the approaches which should be taken to help Africa`s future telecommunications sector growth," says Yoshio Utsumi, secretary-general of ITU.

"Key issues for the region`s ICT landscape include the liberalisation of markets and the subsequent opportunities for increased competition, as well as new technologies that are set to play a vital role in Africa`s ICT growth."

He adds that many challenges remain for the region and it is how these challenges are addressed that will be of crucial importance if the roll-out of ICT is to continue in the region.

It is widely accepted that Africa`s telecommunications future will be a wireless one, so a key theme of the event focused on how to continue to expand the region`s ICT coverage through wireless technology.

Delegates also examined critical issues surrounding the deployment of new access technologies, focused on the financing of future ICT growth and discussed how to build a business model that works for the African continent.

The region`s future decision-makers and ICT leaders also came together for the conference`s Youth Forum.

This forum enabled 77 young people from 40 countries to come together and look at key issues that will influence the region`s ICT growth, from financing to policies and regulation.

Youth Forum participants were able to create a pan-African network of friends and mentors at the event, as well as learn more about ICT and which technologies could be appropriately deployed in their home nations in order to improve life in their countries and across the region.

The Youth Forum also requested that governments create a multi-stakeholder commission in each country - comprising government, private sector and civil society - which would make recommendations and encourage the deployment of ICT for the benefit of all citizens.

Exhibitors at the event displayed technologies suited to the needs of the African region, such as VSAT - which can provide backbone connectivity in areas without landline networks - as well as technologies such as WiFi and WiMax, which can distribute the backbone connection to the members of the community.

The next ITU event will be ITU Telecom Asia 2004, which will take place in Busan in the Republic of Korea between 7 and 11 September, and will explore the range of opportunities for growth in this market.