IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

M-health works in Africa for two reasons. The people, and the widely spread African diaspora across the world, are already adept at using mobile phones for social and financial transactions. Also, the technological concept gets to start from the best place you can possibly imagine: from the bottom up.

The bank has provided over US$424 million in loans to African governments for the project in a bid to compel them to get the project off the ground. The Kenyan government becomes the third country in the East African region after Rwanda and Burundi to start rolling out the project.

Elsewhere on the continent, Mauritius and Burundi have already implemented e-governance projects after receiving more than $164 million from the bank.

The program, the World Bank said, will complement the submarine fiber cable projects being developed along the east coast of Africa, which will link the region into the global communication network.

The summit decided to bring forward ICT connectivity goals to 2012 to enable the achievement of the broader Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

Ghassan Azzi, Sales Director for Africa at Western Digital, has highlighted how artificial intelligence (AI) computing extends beyond traditional cloud and data centres to various end devices.

In his expert opinion piece, “Empowering Smart Transport with AI Embedded Computing and Data Storage,” he stated that for smart devices to evolve and learn, they require access to data and the capacity to store, process, and analyse it efficiently. Embedded AI computing facilitates this by integrating AI capabilities directly into electronic devices, from PCs and mobile gadgets to self-driving cars, industrial automation setups, and robotics.

President Banda said the exchange of and access to information and knowledge through the use of ICTs has contributed to development of many countries in Africa .

He said ICTs have the potential to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich nations in the world, adding that it would be to the advantage of the African countries to embrace the ICTs in their quest to develop further.

Der Zugang zu Breitbandtechnologien ist in afrikanischen Ländern am teuersten. Verglichen mit dem Einkommen kostet ein Monat Breitband laut aktuellen UN-Zahlen in der Zentralafrikanischen Republik mehr als drei durchschnittliche Jahresgehälter. Mit Äthiopien, Malawi, Guinea und Niger führen weitere afrikanische Staaten die Liste an. Zum Vergleich: In den USA müssen Leute gerade einmal 0,5 Prozent ihres Monatsgehalts für einen Breitbandzugang ausgeben. In den meisten europäischen Ländern liegen die Kosten nur unweit höher.

Addressing local and international delegates to the 5th International Conference on ICTs for Africa in Harare, Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara said the continent is tired of being consumers of ICT products from the developed countries, adding that ways should be sought for Africa to be actively involved in the production of ICT materials.