Pan-African research and education network to be realized soon

“We are  convinced that working together, the dream of a pan-African research and education network will be fulfilled soon, through the junction of the UbuntuNet Alliance, West and Central Africa Research and Education Network (WACREN) and Arab States Network  (ASREN) in North Africa,” Said Dr Boubakar Barry, Board Member of UbuntuNet Alliance, the regional association of National Research and Education Networks  (NRENs) in  Eastern and Southern Africa when he opened UbuntuNet-Connect 2014, the 7th Annual Conference of the Alliance, on November 12, 2014.

Africa has so far been mapped into three regions in as far as  high speed connectivity of research and education networks: West and Central Africa, North African and Eastern and Southern Africa. A new Initiative in the offing is expected to fast track actualisation of the dream of Africa_wide connectivity to huge speed data networks.  This is all expected to revolutionise the continent through reduction of brain drain of qualified researchers, provision of innovative solutions through research to problems such as infectious diseases, climate change and food shortage, corruption currently dogging African states.

Meanhwile, Dr Barry also described UbuntuNet-Connect 2014 as an international event in a global environment. The Conference held at the prestigious Hotel Intercontinental in Lusaka, Zambia started with a minute of silence in honour of Africa’s fallen leader and Zambian President Michael Chilufya Sata who died on October 28, 2014.

UbuntuNet-Connect 2014 brought together participants from 28 different nations in unearthing ideas, experiences and research finding spanning across the fields of ICT, education, research and connectivity.

“In the globalised environment that we have today, a challenge that impacts any part of the world must be the concern of all nations. The latest example that illustrates this is the Ebola epidemic we are facing today, and about which we organized yesterday an International Symposium as part of the UbuntuNet-Connect 2014 programme.” Said Dr Barry about the conference themed Infrastructure, Innovation, Inclusion.

Meanwhile the Zambian Government through the Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication Hon. Col. Panji Kaunda challenged researchers and academicians to fully utilize UbuntuNet, the high speed data networks being rolled out under the AfricaConnect project.

“I am posing a challenge to our researchers and academicians to aggressively use the research and education networks which are now being rolled-out to collaborate and bring about innovation and workable solutions to our unique  situations,” said Kaunda, who’s Government has been exemplary in supporting rolling out of a backbone network in Zambia and promoting international interconnectivity. 

From the GÉANT Association, Cathrin Stöver said in pan-African nature of the new phase of AfricaConnect would require increased liberalisation of the telecommunication markets in order to avoid regulatory impediments to an otherwise beneficial project.