Speech by Dr Jimson Olufuye @ the AfICTA AGM

09/10/2018

Dear esteemed members of AfICTA.

Welcome to our 6th AGM and congratulations on our successful 6th Summit. I would like to congratulate Dr Waudo Siganga and team for making it a success.

Let me also use this opportunity to thank all our members that stood still with AfICTA right from the beginning on May 1, 2012 when AfICTA was founded. Of mention is Kontemporary Konsulting Ltd, IITPSA, EITESAL, Chace Systems Ltd and of course Computer Society of Kenya.

As your pioneer Chair, it has been my pleasure to lead our organisation for the past six years and shortly we would be having an election for my successor to take the alliance to the next level.

For the benefit of prospective members in our midst, permit me to talk briefly about AfICTA and what we stand for.

About AfICTA

Africa Information & Communication Technologies Alliance (AfICTA) is a concerned private sector led alliance of ICT Associations, multi-national corporations, companies, organisations and individuals in the ICT sector in Africa.

Vision

Our vision is to fulfill the promise of the digital age for everyone in Africa.

Mission

Our mission is to encourage multi-stakeholder dialogue fostering accelerated and ICT enabled development in Africa and the use of cutting-edge innovative technologies including mobile, computing and satellite technologies to achieve an Information society in Africa.

Core Values

1.Organising non-government ICT business/professional stakeholders in Africa for effective local and continental advocacy

2.Focal point for Africa ICT advocacy in the global digital economy.

3.Promotion of African digital literacy in collaboration with stakeholders.

4.Partnerships with the African Union and the regional / sub-regional economic commissions towards realizing global sustainable development targets for Africa

5.Support for effective dialogue between members and policy makers.

6.Mobilizing core leadership of African ICT professionals and experts in the business community for full engagement in the global Internet Governance multi-stakeholder dialogues.

7.Promoting business partnerships and match-making between members and their associations' members.

8.Contributing to capacity development by promoting good practices, encouraging regional projects, sharing data (skills, expertise, events, business announcements, exhibitions, seminars)

9.Organising annual regional summit for knowledge sharing, trade facilitation and cross-African advocacy.

With respect to my stewardship, permit me to outline some of the achievements we’ve recorded over the past years.

1.Articulation of the alliance constitution

2.Development of the AfICTA Strategy document

3.Development and hosting of the website and successful migration from .org to .africa

4.Registration of the alliance in Nigeria

5.Registration in Nigeria of the trademarks: Africa ICT Champion and Africa ICT Personality Awards

6.Setting up of a self sustaining AfICTA Secretariat with 2 staff

7.Unbroken organisation of the Alliance Summit for the past 6years

8.Constructive African ICT Business/Professional Advocacy/engagement at the United Nations (UN) vis-a-vis Membership of the UN Working Group (WG) on Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Improvement 2011, UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development WG on Enhanced Cooperation 2013-2014 & 2016-2018, IGF UN Secretary-General's Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) from 2011 till date.

9.Signing of MoUs with Software Engineering Competency Centre (SECC), IT Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), Egypt, National IT Development Agency (NITDA) Nigeria and Asian-Oceania Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO), World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI).

10.Enhancing links between business and governments across Africa.

11.Boosting intra-African Business Match-making for trade and wealth creation across Africa

12.Began country focused eConferences in 2018. 1st edition focused on Nigeria (July 19) and the 2nd on South Africa (September 18).

13.Initiating the “1m Jobs Initiative by 2025” powered by EITESAL

14.Membership of ICC BASIS - International Chamber of Commerce Business Action to Support Information Society

15.Membership of ICANN-Business Constituency which has resulted in Outreach collaboration of the constituency with AfICTA since inception in 2013.

16.Continuous engagement with the African Union especially on IGF

17.Growth of member countries from 6 to 30 with 24 African countries to go. Current membership are from Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Namibia, Cote d’Ivore, Ghana, Tunisia, The Gambia, Niger, Mali, Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Chad, Benin, DRC, Senegal, Uganda, Mauritius, Cameroon, Gabon and Lesotho.

To make AfICTA stronger going forward, a new advisory structure called the Trustees is proposed as another layer of maturity for the Alliance. I’m hopeful that the proposed Constitutional amendment will be approved by the AGM.

On this note, I would like to thank my colleagues on the board for their cooperation. As we move to the next level, let us put in our very best such that the light of ICTs will chace away darkness totally from Africa.

Thank you all for listening.

AfICTA elects new Chairman

                                                              L to R: Immediate Past Chair Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Newly Elected Chair Engr. Hossam Elgamal  

At its 6th Annual General Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya on 9 October, 2018 after its founding in 2012, and in line with its constitution, AfICTA - Africa ICT Alliance elected its 2nd Chairman, Engr Hossam Elgamal of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Mr Elgamal succeeds Dr Jimson Olufuye its founder and inspiration. In his farewell speech, Dr Olufuye outlined 17 achievements recorded during his tenure which included according to him “Constructive African ICT Business/Professional Advocacy/engagement at the United Nations (UN) vis-a-vis Membership of the UN Working Group (WG) on Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Improvement 2011, UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development WG on Enhanced Cooperation 2013-2014 & 2016-2018, IGF UN Secretary-General's Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) from 2011 till date” and “Growth of member countries from 6 to 30 with 24 African countries to go. Current membership are from Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Namibia, Cote d’Ivore, Ghana, Tunisia, The Gambia, Niger, Mali, Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Chad, Benin, DRC, Senegal, Uganda, Mauritius, Cameroon, Gabon and Lesotho.” Full text of his speech is available here.

In his acceptance speech, Engr Elgamal thanked Dr Olufuye for all the good works he had done and promised to take the Alliance to greater heights in collaboration with his colleagues on the board and members in general. Full text of his acceptance speech is available here.

About AfICTA

Africa Information & Communication Technologies Alliance (AfICTA) is a concerned private sector led alliance of ICT Associations, multi-national corporations, companies, organisations and individuals in the ICT sector in Africa.

Its vision is to fulfil the promise of the digital age for everyone in Africa while its mission is to encourage multi-stakeholder dialogue fostering accelerated and ICT enabled development in Africa and the use of cutting-edge innovative technologies including mobile, computing and satellite technologies to achieve an Information society in Africa.

Its core values are:

1.Organising non-government ICT business/professional stakeholders in Africa for effective local and continental advocacy

2.Focal point for Africa ICT advocacy in the global digital economy.

3.Promotion of African digital literacy in collaboration with stakeholders.

4.Partnerships with the African Union and the regional / sub-regional economic commissions towards realizing global sustainable development targets for Africa

5.Support for effective dialogue between members and policy makers.

6.Mobilizing core leadership of African ICT professionals and experts in the business community for full engagement in the global Internet Governance multi-stakeholder dialogues.

7.Promoting business partnerships and match-making between members and their associations' members.

8.Contributing to capacity development by promoting good practices, encouraging regional projects, sharing data (skills, expertise, events, business announcements, exhibitions, seminars)

9.Organising annual regional summit for knowledge sharing, trade facilitation and cross-African advocacy.

Acceptance Speech by Engr. Hossam Elgamal @ the AfICTA AGM

09/10/2018

It is with great honor that I accept the choice of AfICTA members electing me as chairman of the board.

I wish first of all to thank the founder and first Chairman of AfICTA Dr. Jimson Olufuye who assumed it’s initiation and its leadership for the last 6 years with great success. I want also to thank all board members who participated in AfICTA stewardship with a great harmony and affection over those years.

The outcome is that AfICTA while still young has built a recognized value proposition, resulting in the membership from 6 African countries to 30 African countries and has grown an international footprint through engagement with the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), United Nations Commission for Science and Technology for Development (UN CSTD),Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers Business Constituency (ICANN-BC), International Chambers of Commerce Business Action to Support the Information Society (ICC BASIS), Asia Oceania Computing Organisation (ASOCIO), African Union (AU) and many African governments including that of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Federal Government of Nigeria. Also, of note is securing representation for African ICT businesses with at least one African ICT business/professional seat in the UN Secretary General’s Internet Governance Forum Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group (IGF MAG), CSTD Working Groups, ICANN Business Constituency leadership, etc.

AfICTA yearly Summit is a landmark gathering of African ICT Association/business/professional representatives to discuss policy making issues and engaging with the summit host country government and private organizations and lCT professionals to share knowledge, experiences, and identifying potential collaboration.

As the new chair of AfICTA, I will continue with my board building its value proposition with the mission to serve the African continent by focusing on:

⁃The Digital skills gap for the current and future employment.

⁃The Industry 4.0

⁃The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) empowerment

⁃The Digital Trade potential and challenges

⁃The Fintech

⁃Cyber security

⁃Global and local connectivity & digital content

We will within 2019 have for each a dedicated working group in charge of analysing from Africa ICT business perspective the opportunities, the challenges, the suitable good practices and role models, the required policies and organizations and the appropriate road map to optimize the value for the African countries.

The working groups once formed will have to exchange ideas with each other to tune outcomes and would report progress monthly to the executive office for review and consolidation.

Again, thank you AfICTA members for the confidence reposed in me to lead our organisation for the next 3 years.