<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:14pt"><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">HI ,</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: SimHei; ">the
implementation </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: SimHei; ">of the African Union's African Internet Exchange System</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; "> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: SimHei; ">(AXIS) is in the right
direction.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">Systems and internet infrastructure </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">that</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">benefit</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">our common </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">aspiration are of
great interest. we request that those with</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 14.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">expertness</span><span style="font-size: 14.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">in the field work with government ,civil society and take inputs
from other stakeholder bodies like the Academia etc, </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">in designing </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">technologies that
respond </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">with time. IXP points have positive </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">effect</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; "> on our economies in terms
of </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">cost of doing business among ourselves in the integration process
and the larger world. Since it </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">also</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">creates</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">a certain political clout as a part of </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">what I call ‘the
larger Pan African project, all </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">effort should be </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">made to explains its
geopolitical ,social and economic dimensions to the ordinary </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">citizenry. As a continent,
we still have reminders of </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">lack of the political will among our countries or is it that our
experts have not,as yet </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">worked hard to curtailed the fact that most of </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">calls have to be </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">routed to the </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; "> the Americas </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">and Europe before
reaching </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">its destination in Africa. We currently have the advantage </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">as</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; "> the head of the ITU body
in breaking down</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: SimHei; ">neoliberal</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">policies </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">that</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">
have over the years hindered our </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">freedom</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; "> in its entirety. Independence
</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">is</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; ">
not only in political freedom from our colonial masters but a full suite that
needed to be exhausted</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: SimHei; "><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">ebenezer Annang</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=28952112&trk=tab_pro">http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=28952112&trk=tab_pro</a><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><br></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14pt; "><span><br></span></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14pt; "><br></div> <div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14pt; "> <div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; "> <div dir="ltr"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <hr size="1"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Mawaki Chango <kichango@gmail.com><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> Dawit Bekele <bekele@isoc.org> <br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cc:</span></b> governance@lists.igcaucus.org; Moses Bayingana <BayinganaM@africa-union.org> <br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Friday, October 19, 2012 7:08 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight:
bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [governance] Africa to launch own Internet exchange point<br> </font> </div> <br>
Thank you, Dawit, for this clarification that helps find answers to my<br>questions.<br><br>Mawaki<br><br>On Fri, Oct 19, 2012 at 9:07 AM, Dawit Bekele <<a ymailto="mailto:bekele@isoc.org" href="mailto:bekele@isoc.org">bekele@isoc.org</a>> wrote:<br>> Hi all,<br>><br>> As the implementer of the African Union's African Internet Exchange System<br>> (AXIS) project under which this workshop in Gambia is organized, I would<br>> like to give some information on this particular workshop and the AXIS<br>> project in general. The AXIS project is an African Union project that aims<br>> at promoting the development of IXPs around Africa. The first phase of the<br>> project consists of organizing IXP Best practice workshops in 30 African<br>> countries where there is no IXP followed by technical workshops in these<br>> same countries. The Internet Society has been selected by the African<br>> Regional Bureau to implement this
phase in a period of 2 years. I have<br>> attached a press release concerning AXIS (sorry the website is not ready<br>> yet).<br>><br>> The African Union and indeed the Internet society are conscious that setting<br>> up an IXP is not an end by itself and there are many IXPs that never took<br>> off from the ground. This is why the Best Practice workshops will discuss<br>> about what works and what doesn't work based one the experiences of IXPs in<br>> Africa ad around the world. The facilitators that we send to these workshops<br>> have practical experience in developing IXPs and can advise the stakeholders<br>> invited at the workshops on the way forward.<br>><br>> As David rightly mentioned the training is technology neutral. Every country<br>> follows its own pace in developing the IXPs. The Internet Society and the<br>> African Union can only advise the stakeholders on the steps to take. We<br>>
organized these workshops in four countries in the last two months: Burkina<br>> Faso, Burundi, Senegal and Gambia. We will organize the following workshops<br>> in the coming two months:<br>><br>> Namibia 23 - 25 October<br>> Guinea 30 Oct- Nov 1<br>> Niger 6-8 November<br>> Benin 13-15 November<br>><br>> Most countries where we have organized the workshops have adopted a clear<br>> plan to set-up an IXP within a few months and established task forces to<br>> that effect, as in the case of the Gambia.<br>><br>> Finally, AXIS is not an isolated program but part of a holistic ICT<br>> development plan for Africa (African Regional Action Plan on the Knowledge<br>> Economy -ARAPKE). AXIS is one of the 11 flagship projects of the ARAPKE<br>> (attached
description).<br>><br>> Best regards,<br>> Dawit Bekele<br>> Director, African Regional Bureau<br>> Internet Society<br>><br>><br>>> -----Original Message-----<br>>> From: <a ymailto="mailto:governance-request@lists.igcaucus.org" href="mailto:governance-request@lists.igcaucus.org">governance-request@lists.igcaucus.org</a> [mailto:governance-<br>>> <a ymailto="mailto:request@lists.igcaucus.org" href="mailto:request@lists.igcaucus.org">request@lists.igcaucus.org</a>] On Behalf Of Mawaki Chango<br>>> Sent: Friday, October 19, 2012 1:33 PM<br>>> To: <a ymailto="mailto:governance@lists.igcaucus.org" href="mailto:governance@lists.igcaucus.org">governance@lists.igcaucus.org</a>; Jean-Louis FULLSACK<br>>> Subject: Re: [governance] Africa to launch own Internet exchange point<br>>><br>>> Thanks, Jean-Louis! That was part of the reason why I was surprised an IXP<br>> in<br>>> Africa
would make such headline still today, and why I was wondering about<br>>> any integrated strategy from the part of AU. Without a vision that takes<br>> into<br>>> account elements you have outlined, it's hard to appreciate real, long<br>> term<br>>> progress.<br>>><br>>> In your view, what are we missing right now in order to develop a<br>>> "consistent, survivable network" keeping in mind that Africa is a huge<br>> place<br>>> where policy is mainly made through government planning, etc.?<br>>> Where does it make more sense to start from --both technically and<br>>> strategically-- in order to realize that "minimum of consistency"<br>>> which can make any subsequent efforts more efficient? I think any long<br>> term<br>>> advocacy effort in Africa should itself be led by a vision of this kind,<br>> where<br>>> policy goals are well informed by technology capabilities
and best<br>> practices,<br>>> and then try to win over policy-makers to it.<br>>><br>>> A whole other challenge is, of course, to get policy-makers and any<br>>> incumbent stakeholders to embrace the notion (and reality) of creative<br>>> destruction, which has never been a given in any place at any era.<br>>> Here I can only think of CS using a range of strategies and tactics and<br>> sharing<br>>> information globally in order to help shape the events and try to shift<br>> the<br>>> power dynamics.<br>>><br>>> Best,<br>>><br>>> Mawaki<br>>> otherwise Africa Internet Policy coordinator at APC, the one and only<br>>> Association for Progressive Communications :)<br>>><br>>> On Fri, Oct 19, 2012 at 3:36 AM, Jean-Louis FULLSACK<br>> <<a ymailto="mailto:jlfullsack@orange.fr"
href="mailto:jlfullsack@orange.fr">jlfullsack@orange.fr</a>><br>>> wrote:<br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> > Dear members of the list<br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> > The basic issue in Africa isn't the lack of IXPs, since there are<br>>> > around thirty ones. Of course this number is to be extended and<br>>> > spatial distribution is to be improved, and the Gambia IXP is a step<br>>> > in this direction.<br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> > But there is a lack of appropriate networks at the national, regional<br>>> > and continental level. In most cases there are a more or less<br>>> > continuous series of optical fiber or microwave routes but not a<br>>> > consistent, survivable network. This strongly limits the very<br>>> > functions of the IXPs i.e. switching, routing and thereby
maintaining<br>>> > IP traffic that is exchanged in specific spaces (country, sub-region,<br>>> > part of African continent) in their respective limits, saving high<br>>> > costs of transiting through out-of-Africa Internet nodes and<br>> consequently<br>>> bandwidth waste on international routes.<br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> > Finally, there are severe power issues in most countries that limit<br>>> > seriously the availability of both the IXPs and the interconnecting<br>>> > network(s).<br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> > Of course, some progress has been done for improving this situation<br>>> > but the<br>>> > (expensive) efforts lack a minimum of consistency and therefore take<br>>> > too much time for being efficient. Reponsibility for this<br>>> > mismanagement is mainly the neoliberal
ruling that promotes hard<br>>> > competition instead of genuine networking, but also the African Union<br>>> > and the ITU, despite the n°1 and 2 of which are Africans.<br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> > Best regards<br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> > Jean-Louis Fullsack<br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> ><br>>> >> Message du 18/10/12 21:10<br>>> >> De : "David Conrad"<br>>> >> A : <a ymailto="mailto:governance@lists.igcaucus.org" href="mailto:governance@lists.igcaucus.org">governance@lists.igcaucus.org</a><br>>> >> Copie à :<br>>> >> Objet : Re: [governance] Africa to launch own Internet exchange point<br>>> >><br>>> >> Hi Norbert,<br>>> ><br>>> >><br>>> >> On Oct 18, 2012, at 12:18 PM, Norbert Klein wrote:<br>>>
>> > I thought it was also interesting that this effort of ISOC is<br>>> >> > reported here by Xinhua via the China Daily. Maybe an indication<br>>> >> > that the internationally experienced and active hardware supplier<br>>> >> > Huawei will help the Banjul efforts, and whoever will by trained<br>>> >> > with the experience of ISOC when new IXP will be set up in more<br>> places<br>>> in Africa.<br>>> >><br>>> >> My understanding is that the training (done by folks from ISOC<br>>> >> partnering with AfriNIC and other Africa-based organizations is<br>>> >> technology neutral. I'm told by one of the folks involved in Gambia<br>>> >> that they expect the IXP to be set up in 6 months or so. As far as I<br>>> >> know, there hasn't been any decision on hardware in the IXP.<br>>> >><br>>>
>> Regards,<br>>> >> -drc<br>>> >><br>>> >><br>>> >><br>>> __________________________________________________________<br>>> __<br>>> >> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:<br>>> >> <a ymailto="mailto:governance@lists.igcaucus.org" href="mailto:governance@lists.igcaucus.org">governance@lists.igcaucus.org</a><br>>> >> To be removed from the list, visit:<br>>> >> <a href="http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing" target="_blank">http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing</a><br>>> >><br>>> >> For all other list information and functions, see:<br>>> >> <a href="http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance" target="_blank">http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance</a><br>>> >> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:<br>>> >> <a href="http://www.igcaucus.org/"
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