Young Rwandan innovators take part in ICT Telecom expo

Two Rwandan young innovators participated in this year’s ICT Telecom World 2011 held Geneva, Switzerland. Joseph Gatete who presented Quickisms in Secondary School Projects and Robert Katabarwa with his Igisekuru innovation, were among 45 of 160 entrants selected to participate in the young innovators competition. “Their innovative contributions will definitely help bring digital solutions to challenges that we are currently facing,” Rwanda’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Solina Nyirahabimana, said. Nyirahabimana who was visiting the Rwandan stand at the summit, said that Rwanda is an emerging market that has great potential in ICT and the young generation are critical players. The competition targeted young innovators with fresh ideas that take advantage of ICT with the aim of making the world a better place. Prime Minister Pierre Habumurenyi also visited the Rwandan stand at the summit. The four -day summit that marked its 40th anniversary celebrations and was marked in tandem with the Broadband Leadership Summit which entailed highest level meetings on the implementation of broadband worldwide, exhibitions, competitions and networking sessions. The summit also looked at core issues shaping the future of networks and services; technical symposiums which provided debate and information exchange on cutting edge technological development, Digital Cities ’11. Patrick Nyirishema, the Head of RDB-ICT, , said that the event was an opportunity for Rwanda to showcase specific ICT projects in order to harness investment potential. “This year’s event has been special in that there has been a huge involvement of youth to share fresh and practical ideas and even compete globally,” Nyirishema said He added that apart from encouraging youth participation, the event was a platform for countries and the private sector to showcase their services and products, network, learn Rwanda was represented by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), a selection of private sector companies dealing in mobile application development that included Broadband Systems Corporation, United Kingdom Telecommunications Academy (UKTA), Hehe Ltd, M-Ahwii and Pivot Access. Ends