Kagame: We are pushing for success of Smart Africa projects

President Paul Kagame on Sunday addressed the 10th Meeting of the United Nations Broadband Commission. Held at the start of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the meeting focused on working to ensure the recognition of broadband and ICT as critical components of the post-2015 sustainable development framework. Speaking on the progress of broadband on the continent, President Kagame highlighted the role of Smart Africa in advancing the ICT agenda on the continent. “We have seen significant high level commitment with eight Heads of State serving on the Smart Africa board. We are pushing for a renewed sense of urgency to ensure that several projects currently underway are successful and beneficial to our citizens.” Smart Africa was adopted in Kigali with the signing of the Smart Africa Manifesto at the Transform Africa Summit held in October 2013. Smart Africa priorities The Smart Africa Manifesto serves as a framework to ensure ICT remains at the heart of the development agenda in Africa. The board of the Smart Africa manifesto defined eight priorities, including Smart Cities, Data and Measurement for development. ICT Industry Development, Africa Digital Literacy, Smart Africa Scholarship Fund, Smart Africa Green Economy, digital economy, private sector and entrepreneurship to be championed by Rwanda, Uganda, Gabon, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Kenya and Mali, respectively. A participant at the meeting takes pictures using a smart phone. (Courtesy) The President, presented a plaque to Dr Hamadoun Toure, whose term as secretary-general of the ITU Broadband Commission is coming to an end, for his contribution to advancing ICT globally. Dr Toure received the plaque “in recognition for the great work done in service and under the UN and for the citizens of the world.” ******************************* Background The International Telecommunications Union and Unesco set up the Broadband Commission for Digital Development in response to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moons call to step up UN efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Commission was established in May 2010, five years after the World Summit on the Information Society and 10 years after the launch of the MDGs. The Commission aims to boost the importance of broadband on the international policy agenda and believes that expanding broadband access in every country is key to accelerating progress towards these goals by the target date of 2015. It defines practical ways in which countries — at all stages of development — can achieve this, in cooperation with the private sector. The Commission comprises a high-powered community, including top chief executives and industry leaders, senior policy-makers and government representatives, international agencies, academia and organisations concerned with development. The leaders believe strongly in a future based on broadband and offer rich insights and experience in how to deploy and use broadband networks and services to the benefit of communities and end-users.

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Kagame: We are pushing for success of Smart Africa projects