MOROCCO USES THE WEB TO GET INTO THE GLOBAL ECONOMY News round-up & Snippets On the money Digital toolbox/In search of the business model Africa's Digerati Useful websites and discussion lists Jobs, people, events...   Classified advertisements

ISSUE NO 64 JOBS, PEOPLE, EVENTS...

PEOPLE & JOBS

* Africa Online’s founder Ayisi Makatiana has been appointed Strategic Director, with responsibility for the Company’s group strategy and business developmentacross Africa.As an Executive Director of African Lakes, he will chair the Company’s strategy committee with responsibility for growing the business across the continent.Ayisi Makatiani also becomes Chairman of Africa Online and MenaNet, the leading ISP in Egypt and UUNET Africa, a joint venture company between African Lakes and UUNET SA, the leading internet-based network service provider in South Africa.African Lakes Chairman David Montgomery commented: "This is a very important appointment and emanates from a wide ranging review of all our businesses following the acquisition of MenaNet and Telcorp, the parent company of Africa Online."

* The wealth of nations is no longer dependent upon the control of natural resources such as land, gold and oil, but rather on the control of knowledge, says Ben Ngubane, Minister of Arts, Culture Science and Technology of South Africa.

* Eric Molobi has been named acting chairman of the state-controlled telco group, Telkom - at least until its listing in the third or fourth quarter of the year.

* Dean of Science at the Botswana Technology Centre Professor Mpuchane in a recent speech highlighted the need for more African scientists and scientific research. He challenged African governments to contribute more to science education.

* BusyInternet Ghana are looking staff for the following staff: a CEO for BusyInternet Ghana, a conference andseminar manager, a marketing manager, customer service representatives and floor managers. If you’re interested, email jobs@busyinternet.com. Other posts may come up soon. If you’re interested contact Ellen McDermott (ellen@busyinternet.com)

* The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), the leading Commonwealth agency in information and communication technologies, is looking for a Director, Development Programmes. The CTO works with governments, telecommunications businesses and other organisations to promote telecoms, internet and other information and communications technologies (ICTs), particularly in social and economic development.It currently delivers 200 bilateral technical cooperation projects annually, alongside a programme of international conferences and workshops, and other work with a variety of business and development partners. Among other things, the post-holder will direct a new three-year partnership with the UK Department for International Development and others, ‘Bridging the Digital Divide’, to enhance capacity-building in policy-making and regulation in information and communications in developing countries. The post will be based in London on an initial three-year contract with a competitive salary.

The CTO is an intergovernmental treaty organisation, and staff positions must be filled by citizens of Commonwealth countries.To apply, please send cover letter, detailed CV, examples of previous work and the names of three referees to the Executive Director, CTO, Clareville House, 26/27 Oxendon St, London SW1Y 4EL, UK by 7 July 2001.Interviews will be held in London in late July.

EVENTS
WEST AFRI-TEL: THE NIGERIAN TELECOMMS AND BROADCASTING CONFERENCE

Get booked infor the W.Afri.Tel: The Nigerian Telecommunications and Broadcasting Conference at the Eko Meridien Hotel, Lagos on 26-27 June 2001. Highlights include: Telecommunication/IT Infrastructures As The Operating System of A Viable Economy (Dr Emmanuel E. Ekuwem, Vive-Chairman & CEO, Teledom International Ltd, Nigeria), The role of banks in financing telecommunications development in Nigeria, (Jim Ovia, Zenith International Bank, Nigeria), The regulatory framework and privatisation process as a catalyst for telecommunications development in Nigeria (Eyo Ekpo, The Law Union of Nigeria) and Teleconvergence: Which way forward? (Danladi Bako, National Broadcasting Commission, Nigeria). To register as a delegate for this conference, use the delegate registration form on the AITEC web site: www.aitecafrica.com.

TECHNOLOGY FORUM AT PANAFEST, GHANA

If you are interested in presenting at, or participating in, the 2-day PANAFEST Technology Forum, please contact Professor Osei Darkwa as outlined below. Sign up at:

http://www.ghaclad.org/new_page_4.htm

THE INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY GROUP, AFRICAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION, 15-18 NOVEMBER 2001, HOUSTON, USA

At the annual conference of the African Studies Association (ASA), the Information and Communication Technology Group (ICTG, originally ETG) will conduct panel discussions on the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in Africa and by the African diaspora. In particular, how can the digital divide between developing and industrialised countries be bridged? What are the benefits to be derived from connecting African countries and the introduction of new information technologies in science, medicine and education, specially for rural areas? These two main themes will be approached using reports and surveys submitted to ICTG by the participating members of ASA. Site: http://www.africanstudies.org/ictgcall01.html Contact: callASA@rci.rutgers.edu

(source: Bridges.news, vol. 2, no. 4, 11 April 2001 - in English )

SECOND PAN-COMMONWEALTH FORUM ON OPEN LEARNING TO BE IN SOUTH AFRICA

To celebrate ten years of existence the Commonwealth of Learning launched an international forum in Brunei in March 1999.This proved to be such an enormous success that the representatives recommended that it should be held on a regular basis.Member countries were invited to bid for the next forum in 2002.NADEOSA, in partnership with the South African Department of Education and the Commonwealth of Learning in Vancouver were fortunate in winning the bid against India and Australia.For the past year the Management Committee for the Forum has been very active in preparing for this international conference.

The theme of the conference is Open Learning: Transforming Education for Development and five sub-themes have been identified.The conference will take place in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal at the International Convention Centre from Monday 29 July to Friday 2 August 2002.This second forum intends to build on the foundations laid at the first forum to provide all stakeholders, students and practitioners across the entire spectrum of teaching, learning and training with an opportunity to contribute to global progress.One aspect that will receive particular emphasis is the development and application of innovative technologies in open learning.Interested parties can obtain more information on the dedicated forum website http://colforum.mweb.co.za or may contact the conference organisers: Event Dynamics e-mail: tasha@eventdynamics.co.za

(source: TAD Newsletter)

If our correspondent is "off the mark" or you have factual amendments, mail them to us and we will include them in subsequent News Updates. If you'd like to contribute, write and let us know.
If you need information about a particular place or issue, just send your questions in. We are always happy to follow up on readers concerns.

News Update is a free e-letter produced by Balancing Act that covers African internet content and infrastructure developments, It goes out to government, the private sector, education and NGOs. To subscribe, send a message saying "I want to subscribe" to info@balancingact-africa.com