The East African Internet Governance Forum has appealed to all East African Countries to ratify the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea.
The Convention provides for the rights of landlocked countries to have full access to sea services and also fiber optic technology that is transmitted through the sea.
fiber optic Africa underseas cables
The Coordinator of I – Network Elisha Wasukira has told an EAIGF workshop at Hotel Africana that if the East African countries ratify this protocol it will protect the land locked countries’ rights of access to fiber optic technology that is remitted by sea.
Wasukira says though the other countries in East Africa that border the sea have not blocked the land locked countries from accessing fiber optic technology, it is preferable that this matter is now put into law such that the land locked countries can access fiber optic technology as a right other than the matter looking like the countries that border the sea are simply giving favors to the land locked countries.
Last year, the laying of the fiber optic sea cable that was later connected from Mombassa to Kampala though has had a significant impact on the provision of internet services in Uganda with the industry
becoming more vibrant than it was before in the recent past.
Three of the countries in the East African Community are land locked (Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda) and are expected to benefit from better ICTs infrastructure if this protocol is ratified.
Also see presentations made at the 3rd EAIGF conference in Kampala details below
By Zakaria Tiberindwa, Ultimate Media
2010 EAIGF Presentations
Day
1:
Wednesday ,
11th August
2010
Session 2: National IGF Reports
Rwanda: Emanuel Hubemuremyi, Media High Council
Burindi: Victor Ciza, AfriRegister
Session 3: Cyber Security Management in East Africa
Increasing Online Safety in East Africa; UNECA SRO- EA’S Cyber Security – Mactar Seck, UNECA
Country Case Study reports :
– Rwanda: Allan Kabutura, Rwanda Development Board
– Tanzania: Sunday Richard, TCRA
– Uganda: Patrick Mwesigwa, UCC
LAVIT Presentation: Gal hertz
Day
2:
Thursday ,
12th August
2010
Session 4: Strengthening Critical Internet Resources
Strengthening ccTLD in Africa- Research Finding – Adam peake, Glocom
Country Comments :
–Rwanda: Geofrey Kayonga, RICTA
Update on New gTLDs Program: Katim Toury ,ICANN
Session 5: IPv6 Challenges in East Africa
Transitioning to IPv6: Challenges and strategies for East Africa – Titi Akinsanmi, AfriNIC
Country Study Case :
– Kenya: Esther Wanjau – Ministry of Information and Communication
–Rwanda: Geofrey Kayonga, RICTA
– Uganda: Ambrose Ruyooka, Ministry of ICT
Session 6: Access and Affordability to Broadband
Country Study Case :
– Kenya: Esther Wanjua, Ministry of Information & Communication
– Rwanda: Beata Mukangabo , RURA
– Uganda: Eng. Charles Lwanga Auk , Ministry of Information & Communications Technology
– Burundi
Interconnection opportunities and challenges in establishing Regional IXP: Dawit Bekele, ISOC
Day
3:
Friday ,
13th August
2010
Cross-Border ICT Certifications training: Atsushi, Yamanak, JICA
Youth and Internet Governance in East Africa: Tony Vetter, Digital Opportunity Trust
Dot Connect Africa Initiative: Sofia bekele
Code of Good Practice and its Internet Governance: Natasha Primo, APC
Session 8: Way Forward
UNIGF Review; Introduction and Question: Chengetai Masango, UNIGF Secretariat
2010 EAIGF Draft Report Highlights: Rachel Kadama, I-Network, Uganda
EAIGF; Way Forward: Alice Munyua, Convener EAIGF