African Union to hold ICT expo

  1. Posted on Monday 11 January 2010 - 15:20
    Sanday
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    Sanday Chongo Kabange AfricaNews reporter in Lusaka, Zambia
    The African Union will this month hold an ICT exhibition which intends to showcase the role of ICTs in the continent's socio-economic development. The AU ICT for Africa Exhibition will run alongside the 2010 Summit of Heads of States and Government to be held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Abba, from January 23 to February 2nd 2010.
    ICT
    The exhibition to debut under the theme “The challenges of Information Communication Technologies for Africa” will showcase various innovative ICT projects in Africa and demonstrate the role that ICT can play in Africa’s socio-economic development.

    For the African Union, Information Communication Technology has fundamentally changed the way people communicate, work and earn their livelihood. ICT has forged new ways to create knowledge, educate people and disseminate information. It has also structured the way the world conducts economic business practices, runs governments and engages politically.

    It is for this reason the continental body has decided to hold an exhibition on the sidelines of the 2010 summit. The expo will be technically supported by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

    The AU is in this vain encouraging African based business entities, organisation and individuals to participate in the exhibition. The continental body says in this will be one way of reviewing the progress Africa has made towards embracing the use of ICT in every sphere of their livelihoods.

    Africa has the least Internet penetration, mobile usage and access in the world. The Addis Abba Summit will among other things look at how the continent can leverage its engagement in ICT usage as a tool for socio-economic development.