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<DIV><SPAN lang=EN-US><FONT size=3><STRONG>Momentum grows for Kenya ICT
Week</STRONG></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext">Kenya’s information and communications technology
(ICT) sector is going to participate in a feast of events during the country’s
first National ICT Week over 23-26 March at the Safari Park Hotel. It will
include the following:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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style="COLOR: windowtext"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; COLOR: windowtext; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
lang=EN-US>The Kenya National ICT Convention, under the auspices of the Kenya
ICT Federation (KIF), the Private Sector ICT Board of the Kenya Private Sector
Alliance.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; COLOR: windowtext; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
lang=EN-US>The annual ea.telecom conference<o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI></UL>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0cm" type=disc>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; COLOR: windowtext; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
lang=EN-US>The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization conference on
implementing the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) Action
Plan<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; COLOR: windowtext; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
lang=EN-US>The ICT Week Exhibition <o:p></o:p></SPAN>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; COLOR: windowtext; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
lang=EN-US>The East African ICT for Development
Showcase<o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI></UL>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext">The Kenya National ICT Convention, supported with
funding from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), is
intended to provide a platform to develop a comprehensive national ICT strategy.
It has the full endorsement of the Office of the President, the Ministry of
Transport & Communications, the Ministry of Planning & Development and
the Communications Commission of Kenya. At the Convention, all initiatives and
studies undertaken so far on ICT policy will be presented and the aim will be to
achieve consensus between government, private sector and civil society
stakeholders on the optimum ICT roadmap for Kenya. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext">The ea.telecom conference will consist of a series of
high-level training workshops to enhance the skills and knowledge of East
Africa’s telecommunications service providers and users. Topics will include
satellite communications, voice over IP, value-added telecommunication services
and wireless communications.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext">The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation has
convened a conference on the WSIS Action Plan which was formulated at the WSIS
Summit in Geneva in December as a worldwide strategy to bridge the digital
divide and mobilize ICT for effective development. “The WSIS Action Plan
distilled a huge amount of intellectual and strategic input from throughout the
world. It is vital that we do not allow its valuable output to remain as fine
words of encouragement. We have to find ways of practical implementation and
this is what we aim to achieve in Nairobi,” said Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, MD of
the CTO.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Ministers of Communication
from Nigeria, Ghana, Mauritius and Kenya will present government perspectives at
the conference, as will telecommunication regulators from Botswana, Nigeria and
Kenya.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext">The ICT Week will also include an exhibition of IT and
telecommunication products and services, with leading international and local
suppliers participation. In addition, there will be an ICT for Development
Showcase, where NGO’s, development agencies and other non-profit organizations
will be provided free exhibition space to showcase their ICT projects and
plans.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="COLOR: windowtext">For full details of the Kenya ICT Week, see the AITEC
web site: <A href="http://www.aitecafrica.com/"><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext">www.aitecafrica.com</SPAN></A>; or e-mail <A
href="mailto:info@aitecafrica.com">info@aitecafrica.com</A> or phone
+44-1480-495595 <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
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