South Africa is hosting the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union exhibition and forum event for the second time
Jubie Matlou
More than 200 companies from 40 countries will display the latest information and communication tech-nology equipment at Gallagher Estate next week.
In addition, 200 speakers have been lined up to deliver papers on a wide range of subjects ranging from rural telephony strategies to connecting schools across Africa to the Internet.
For the second time South Africa is hosting the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) exhibition and forum event Africa Telecom 2001. This will be the 25th telecom event since it was first held in Geneva in 1971 it was later replicated into regional and continental chapters for the Americas, Asia-Pacific, the Middle-East and Africa.
In 1998 South Africa hosted this strategic trade show and conference that attracts speakers, exhibitors and visitors who discuss ideas that will shape Africa’s connection to global communications.
In the words of Yoshio Utsumi, ITU secretary general, the decision to accept the offer from South Africa stems from considerations of “infrastructure, accommodation, transport and conference facilities available”.
Robert Nkuna, representative for the Department of Communications says: “[The fact that] we are hosting it for the second time in a three-year period shows the confidence the international community has in our democracy. The publicity South Africa will get from this event will also project the country as an investment destination.”
The ITU says regional telecom events bring together government representatives, industry leaders, operators, investors, regulators, technical specialists and other key players in telecommunications.
“The combination of an exhibition with a forum is designed not only to cover exciting developments in technology but also to provide a means of pinpointing industry trends and sharing information and to foster the transfer of this new technology and information to less developed countries.”
The country and continental breakdown of the about 200 visitors is:
64 South African companies;
26 African companies/agencies;
70 European companies;
39 from Asia and the Middle East; and
28 from the United States and Canada.
Nkuna says it is opportune for the Africa Telecom 2001 to be held on the eve of the adoption of the New Africa Initiative (now called New Partnership for Africa’s Development) by the leaders of the continent.
“Information and communication technologies [ITCs] have been identified as priorities of the renewal plan, which means that Africa Telecom 2001 will be expected to reflect on issues related to renewal. We need to ensure that we do not talk in the abstract but focus on how ICTs will contribute to making a positive difference in the lives of the majority who live in abject poverty. [Hence] the theme of the conference: Bridging the digital divide.”
These sentiments are shared by information networking technology leader Marconi. In a statement released earlier this week Marconi said “the expansion of telecommunications networks across Africa was the key to reviving ailing economies and offered great opportunities for telecommunications and networking companies willing to develop a true pan-African infrastructure.”
“This is a great time to go into Africa,” said Marconi communications MD Richard Bicker Caarten, adding that African governments are going out of their way to get multinational companies to invest.
Caarten said: “Only six out of 45 countries have tele-density of more than 10 phones per 100 people. Western investors may have to be content with different revenues per user here, but they should reflect that their money can not be put to better use.”
For the first time the event will include a youth forum, enabling young people from across the continent to deliberate on issues affecting them in the sector. The objective is to ensure that young people play a pivotal role in the development of the sector and in using the sector to enhance growth.
ITU regional and continental telecom events are for non-profit purposes, and aim to support specific telecommunication development projects. Surplus income from these events is transferred to the Telecom Surplus Fund and used by the Telecommunication Development Bureau to execute development projects.