Microsoft Plans to Bridge the Digital Divide in Africa

Microsoft has pledged to bridge the digital divide in Africa in order to accelerate the continent's drive for economic growth. Microsoft's chairman for Africa Cheick Modibo Diarra told a news conference in Nairobi that Africa is one of the last frontiers where challenges and opportunities thrive in the spheres of education, health, technical, production and infrastructure.

"Increased access to technology has been identified as a prerequisite for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) over the next decade ... broadening digital inclusion to millions of people must be a shared public/private effort," said Diarra, who is currently in Kenya to address the Youth Empowerment Summit, which has opened in Nairobi. <<Details>>

ICT Journalism Awards for Nigerian Journalists

I got an email from my friend and former colleague, Chima Akwaja who is also Associate Editor at the Financial Standard newspaper in Nigeria regarding the recent ICT Awards to some African journalists. The detail is reproduced below. Happy reading. Dili

Six Nigerian journalists have won awards in different categories at the African media awards on Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) at the 10th Highway Africa conference held in Grahamstown, South Africa, last week carting away six out of the 22 awards.

The awards which came in two folds included the SABC-Highway Africa awards for Innovative Use of New Media in Africa and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s sponsored African Information Society Initiative (UNECA/ AISI.) The five journalists namely Mr. Chima Akwaja of Financial Standard newspaper, Mr. Don Pedro Aganbi of the ICT Africa on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mr. Emmanual Okwuke of New Age and Ms. Evelyn Tagbo, as well as Mr. Segun Oruame of ITEdge magazine, emerged first and second category winners in the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) awards sponsored by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Mr. Remmy Nweke, senior ICT reporter with Champion Newspapers and a pioneer member of the Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) editorial team, won the HANA
journalist of the year and was presented with Fujitsu/Siemens laptop and a souvenir. Last year also, Nigeria got over six awards at HA, especially through the UNECA/AISI.
The Highway Africa awards were organised by Journalism Department of Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa in partnership with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). It is in recognition and promotion of creative, innovative and appropriate use of new media technology on the continent. AISI was put together by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) based in Ethiopia. Both awards were presented simultaneously at a ceremony well-attended at the Guy Berger Auditorium, Grahamstown, and last week. Cameroon also got four out of the total awards for grab at HA-06.

In addition, the SABC-HA award on individual/student category went to David Kezio-Musoke a HANA journalist from Uganda, while the non-profit category was grabbed by Jo’s Toolkit, a website created for student and grassroots media created by two fourth-year new media students, Carly Riz and Gregor Rohrig, even as the corporate award went to Andnetwork (African News Dimension’s Network).

While Nigeria took the first categories in the AISI-GTZ Media awards on promoting the Information Society (IS) on TV, AISI-IDRC award on Reporting on ICT policy and AISI-OSIWA reporting on ICTs and Rural communities, Nigeria also got the second categories AISI-IICD award on local content and local content applications in that order.

Cameroon, on the other hand, went home with the first prize AISI-GTZ awards on promoting the Information Society, through Ms Marie Noelle Guichi and Ms Bapidi-Mbom Didier Parfait on print and radio respectively. While also Mr Roger Taakam and Ms Jeanine Fankam emerged first in the local content as well as reporting on research and innovation categories in that order.

Uganda, nevertheless, got two winners in the first and second categories of AISI-OSIWA best female reporter and reporting on research and innovation through Ms Ester Nakkazi and Mr. David Muwanga respectively. Other countries that won in the single categories at the AISI awards include Ghanaian Jacob Kofi Mensah who took second category on Promoting IS for print, Kenyan Eric Ombok also on second category on radio. Equally, Algerian Laid Zaghlami came first in the local content applications, Malian Salif Sanogo came second on promoting IS on Tv, with Mr. Guedegbe Gerard of Benin coming second category in Reporting on ICTs and rural communities and Zambian Timothy Kasonde Kasolo also coming second in Reporting on ICT policy.

An Invitation to Share E-Kola!

The Kolanut is very simbolic in my own part of the world. One of the ways, for instance, for a guest to demonstrate true love and hospitality to a visitor is to offer the nut. In most cases, such presentations are followed by momentary supplications to Chukwu-Abiama (God Almighty) asking for blessings to those who would partake of the eating of the nut. The blessings, among others, would include the health, prosperity, longevity of the eaters of the Kola. And, of course, for the success of the reasons that informed the gathering.
So, please come and share with me this E-Kola since our medium of gathering is virtual!
Dili