Rwanda, Swaziland seek ICT cooperation

Visiting Swazi officials have said they are exploring ways of cooperating with Rwanda in the area of promoting the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in their country.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Visiting Swazi officials have said they are exploring ways of cooperating with Rwanda in the area of promoting the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in their country.

Led by Swaziland’s ICT Minister, Nelisiwe Shongwe, the officials together with Rwanda’s Minister in charge of ICT in the Office of the President, Dr. Ignace Gatare, and Education Minister, Dr. Charles Murigande, yesterday toured the One Laptop Per Child project (OLPC) in Kicukiro.

"We are going to sit down with the ministers and the officials to find a way forward,” Shongwe told reporters. 
"I was very impressed and what I have learnt is that we still have a long way to go, in Swaziland, in terms of getting more expertise as far as the computer is concerned,” she said.

The Swazi delegation is on a three-day visit as part of the ongoing African Union (AU) ICT awareness week that falls between November 15 - 21.

Dr. Gatare noted that Swaziland has excellent bilateral relationship with Rwanda in other areas and that the two countries now have an opportunity to establish a partnership in ICT as well.

"Swaziland has a focus on ICT, just like Rwanda, and I think the visit of the minister for ICT from Swaziland will be an opportunity to share experiences,” Dr. Gatare said.

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