Teams still faces challenges

The East African region has been waiting for The East Africa Marine System (Teams) to light up because it has been billed as the most affordable telecommunications option, given the combination of government and private sector ownership, reports Computerworld.

Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Northern Tanzania and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have been busy finalising their national fibre backbone to get ready for the cable's arrival.

In West Africa, there hasn't been much dancing or celebration even though the African Development Bank has invested $240 million for a 7 000-kilometer fibre-optic cable from Portugal through Ghana to Nigeria.

The European Commission (EC) called for "an open, independent and accountable governance of the Internet", following European Union commissioner for information society and media, Viviane Reding's, call for a "globally responsible, privatised ICANN," reports The Sofia Echo.

In a Commission Communication entitled 'Internet governance: the next steps', the EC made proposals for "the governance of the Internet to be more open, transparent and inclusive," an EU media statement said.

Acknowledging the private sector's role in development and day-to-day management of the Internet, the EC says the Internet's "growing importance for society as a whole, however, increasingly requires governments to be more actively involved in the key decision-making that underlies the Internet's development".

The general feeling of remoteness felt by the people of Nagaland, both from mainland India as well as from the state on account of the hilly topography, can be removed to a great extent by adopting e-governance and IT applications, according to The Morung Express.

It is a fact that people living in the far-flung districts like Mon and Tuensang very often feel they are isolated and cut off from Kohima, the state capital, and Dimapur, the commercial capital.

This remoteness and distance can be bridged through the use of technology and having a strong IT infrastructure with good connectivity. An offer of public services through this platform can greatly improve governance and bring the government closer to people.