[UgaBYTES] News round up- Africa

[Mwathi Francis]

*Tunisian ICT Sector Grows by 10% to 15% per Year*

*Tunisia Online*

*Tunis *

*December 11*

A study carried out by Industry Promotion Agency (API), shows that the ICT
sector in Tunisia is witnessing a growth of 10 to 15% per year.

This growth which is transforming the sector by the day is aided by the
arrival of major foreign ICT companies, which are exporting their products
and services towards European countries, in particular.

 particular The ICT sector in Tunisia comprises of 345 companies, the great
majority of which are small or medium entreprises, which employ 6550 people.

www.tunisiaonlinenews.com<http://www.tunisiaonlinenews.com/2008/12/03/study-tunisian-ict-sector-grows-by-10-to-15-per-year/>



*Computers To Facilitate Sustainable Forest Use*

*All Africa News*

*Yaunde*

*December 11*

The World Resources Institute (WRI) USA and the German Technical Cooperation
(GTZ) in partnership with the Network For Environment and Sustainable
Development in Central Africa (NESDA-CA), Cameroon branch yesterday, handed
over 10 laptops equipped with internet connections and printers to the
Cameroon branch of the Network of Parliamentarians for the Sustainable
Management of Forest and Humid Ecosystems in Central Africa (REPAR). The
representative of WRI and NESDA-CA, Bide Cletus handed over the information
communication equipment to REPAR at a ceremony at the National Assembly.

www.allafrica.com <http://allafrica.com/stories/200812110638.html>



*Ugandan Wins Microsoft Global ICT Award*

*New Vision*

*Kampala*

*December 11*

Wilson Kutegeka was just an ordinary man with no big ambitions. Coming to
Kampala from Bukwali Village, Kabarole, was like a dream; scaling the
heights to America seemingly impossible.

However, Kutegeka now not only has academic qualifications to his name, but
has gone down in history as the first Ugandan to be recognised by Microsoft
International. He recently received the Most Valuable Professional:Visual
Basic award for this year.The holder of a Bachelor of Science degree in
physics and a post-graduate diploma in computer science from Makerere
University, Kutegeka beat off a challenge from over 2,000 professionals at
the Microsoft Most Valuable Profesional (MVP)summit in Washington, US, to
win the award.

Kutegeka's award-winning ClinicMaster Technology is used at the Joint
Clinical Research Centre to monitor patients on ARVs. It was showcased at
the award ceremony.

www.newvision.co.ug



*Nigeria Ripe for Tech Export*

*This Day*

*Lagos*

*December 10*

Renowned industrialist and former Chairman of Unilever Plc, Dr. Michael
Omolayole has stressed the need for Nigeria to develop technologically so as
to rub shoulders with others in the comity of nations by exporting
technology to other countries. Omolayole at the opening of a three-day
exhibition as part of the activities commemorating 60 years of the premier
university, the University of Ibadan in the fields of Humanities , Science
and Technology stated that the nation needed to carry her research
institutions along in the quest of becoming a technologically advanced
nation.

The industrialist, an alumnus of the institution, who was chairman of the
occasion, lamented that many intellectual properties that could be adapted
for commercial purposes by investors are rotting away in many ivory towers
across the country, stating that the general public at large was completely
unaware of the mighty discoveries and creativity which are products of
painstaking researches by committed scientists in the various universities.


www.thisdayonline.com <http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=130385>



*Ambitious Plan for African Satellite
*

*Business Day*

*Johannesburg *

*Dec 10*

AFRICAN investors have hatched an ambitious R2,5bn plan to launch a
dedicated satellite to beam more bandwidth to the continent.Africans will
supply 90% of the funding, with global satellite company Intelsat providing
the experience and credibility to get the project done. The main local
backer is Convergence Partners, a hi-tech investment fund chaired by Andile
Ngcaba, a former director-general of the communications department. The
Oppenheimer family is also investing, while Nedbank Capital and the
Industrial Development Corporation have pledged debt financing.

Although the New Dawn satellite will only switch on in 2011, half its
transmission capacity has already been sold to Vodacom, Gateway
Communications, Zain Nigeria and Gilat Satcom. Those deals guarantee an
income of $350m, and Intelsat vice-president Ed Berger believes 90% of its
capacity will be sold before it launches

www.businessday.co.za
<http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/TarkArticle.aspx?ID=3441733>



*Social security System To be Computerised*

*All Africa Stories.*

*Maputo*

*Dec8*

Mozambican Labour Minister, Maria Helena Taipo, starts this Friday an
official visit to Brazil, where she is expected to sign a protocol with her
Brazilian counterpart, for the computerization of Mozambique's National
Social Security Institute (INSS).

The contract for INSS computerization may be awarded PREV DATA, a Brazilian
company specialized on computerizing Brazil's social security.

Currently, PREV DATA is working on the social security system of the
Brazilian Ministry of Social Welfare.

According to a press release from Mozambique's Labour Ministry (MITRAB),
received by AIM, Taipo will also discuss with her Brazilian counterpart the
construction of a new National Training Centre to be built in Maputo.

The Centre that will be funded by the Brazilian government, through Brazil's
National Industrial Training Service (SENAI), will seek high quality
training and capacity building on industrial and technological development
in Mozambique.
www.allafrica.com <http://allafrica.com/stories/200812080738.html>

-- 
Francis Mwathi
Assistant Technical Officer
UgaBYTES Initiatives
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