AfICTA e-Newsletter (June 25th, 2020)

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AfICTA e-NEWSLETTER 

25/June/2020 Vol 90

Register to Join AfICTA  (Africa ICT Alliance) Today

Hi, are you concerned about the realization of a Digital Africa? If yes, AfICTA (Africa ICT Alliance) welcomes you to register and join other group of concerned IT National Associations, Companies, Multinationals and Organisations in Africa to engender the delivery of the digital age for everyone in Africa.

AfICTA is a 32 member nations' alliance, in partnership with the African Union, with the vision to fulfill the promise of the digital age for everyone in Africa and to connect IT role players on the continent.

Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, IGF-2020 to Hold Online

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fifteenth meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will be held online. The IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) together with the IGF Secretariat and UN DESA have begun preparations and consultations on how best to carry out this virtual IGF annual meeting.  We will keep you updated on the progress.

The Government of Poland will now host the IGF 2021 Annual Meeting in Katowice in the 4th quarter of next year and the Governments of Ethiopia and Japan will be hosting the IGF annual meetings in 2022 and 2023, respectively, pending organizational ...  read more

Putting COVID-19 Traffic Growth Into Perspective

Nokia Deepfield is another company that works in the background on the web, and that analyzes data traffic patterns for the big ISPs. Their June 4 report on web traffic reports about the same thing we're hearing from most large ISPs — the volume of web traffic suddenly shot up since the onset of the pandemic.

Nokia Deepfield says that the increase in traffic has settled in at about a 25% increase over pre-COVID levels. The most important aspect of the increase has been that almost all of the increases have been during the daytime, including on weekends. Networks have not seen any surge (or decrease) in the evening busy hour traffic. To people who don't follow the industry, those increases likely sound... read more

ICANN68 Virtual Policy Forum: Schedule Now Available

ICANN organization published the schedule for the ICANN68 Virtual Policy Forum to hold from 22-25 June 2020. The ICANN community took the lead in organizing the four-day program. The schedule features plenary sessions exploring Domain Name System (DNS) abuse and malicious registrations, DNS and the Internet of Things, and how to advance policy work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please remember to register for ICANN68.

ICANN68 is the fifth Policy Forum and the second virtual ICANN Public Meeting. It is also the first ICANN Public Meeting to be supported entirely by...  read more

Washington: Rural Broadband Subsidy – What's the Rush?

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted procedures for Phase I of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction, which will award up to $16 billion in support over ten years for the deployment of fixed broadband networks to homes and businesses in census tracks that are unserved by voice and broadband with download speeds of at least 25 Mbps.

Successful bidders in the October reverse auction will have to provide a minimum of 25/3 Mbps up/download speed, and the FCC will prioritize low- latency (sub-100 ms) networks when awarding funding. They are prioritizing high speeds and low latency so users will "be able to use tomorrow's Internet applications...  read more

Covid-19 shows we need more than basic internet access — we need meaningful connectivity

As internet access proves more critical than ever, Sonia Jorge, A4AI Executive Director, explains how our new meaningful connectivity standard will help to raise the bar for internet access.

The Covid-19 pandemic has galvanised the case for universal internet access like never before, generating widespread agreement that the internet is too important to leave anyone offline and renewing calls for expanded connectivity to be an absolute priority for policymakers.

At the same time, the crisis has...   read more

Zimbabwe’s Reserve Bank clamps down on parallel forex market

The Zimbabwe Reserve Bank, through its Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), is clamping down on alternative market foreign currency dealers and has banned these services from advertising on social media platforms. 

While the Unit has threatened action across all platforms, the sale of forex is particularly high on WhatsApp.

All legal foreign currency dealers in Zimbabwe have to be registered and sell forex at a pegged rate. The FIU issued a statement recently which reads...  read more

Tanzania Has a Way to Negotiate e-Commerce Hurdle

anzania is well-positioned to integrate into a global digital economy, but the lack of a national e-commerce strategy remains an obstacle.

This is according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which highlighted the country’s potential to become a leading contender in online trade in East Africa – especially within mobile finance and digital payments.

However, the assessment found that the country has neither mainstreamed e-commerce into its...  read more

Uganda to Impose 10% Tax on Imported Phones

The government of Uganda plans to impose a 10% tax on all imported phones in a bid to increase the adoption of locally manufactured devices.

The country’s Minister of Investment and Privatisation Evelyne Anite said the move is also to prioritise companies that manufacture devices or components for the government.

The Minister said the country imports five million mobile phones per year without paying the required tax Now, with 10% tax added, the price of imported phones could be out of reach for most locals... read more

Blue Whale and Wannacry Expose the Internet's Dark Side

Last week, two things happened that exposed the dark side of the internet in a way we have never experienced it before.

The first was ‘Blue Whale,’ an online game that has allegedly claimed the life of one Kenyan and many others across the globe. The second was a ransomware attack dubbed ‘WannaCry’ that is still spreading globally across Windows-related servers and other computers that had not previously been patched up or protected.

Let’s start off with the Blue Whale online game. It’s an addictive game that offers teenagers ... read more

MainOne & AWALE Partner to Support CIV’s Fight Against COVID- 19

West Africa’s leading connectivity and data center provider, MainOne, has partnered with AWALE, a neutral network operator that provides high speed data transmission capacity via its fiber optic cables installed on the national transport and electricity, to support the Crisis Cell of the Ivoirian Government in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This measure of solidarity will reinforce the emergency deployment plan of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Postal Services of the country.

The joint initiative includes the provision of free connectivity capacity and Internet services to strategic state institutions for a period of three (3).... read more

Why Africa zdhould use Internet Infrastructure to Solve its Problems

THE speed of information has never been this super-fast. Knowledge revolution has changed the outlook of human societies, altering cultural trends. It is easier today to vary ideas and thoughts, across continents and arrive at the most preponderant. Virtual conference applications and webinars seem to be breaking barriers to knowledge at the most affordable cost. Students now access knowledge at their fingertips, beyond either of the limits of a school curricula or the limit of exposure of a designated tutor.

A few days ago, I put a call to a former classmate who is now lecturing in a newly established Nigerian university. I asked him about his experienc... read more

Egypt’s MoneyFellows Secures US$4m to Expand

Egyptian Fintech platform MoneyFellows has secured US$4- million in Series A investment from venture capital firms Partech Ventures and Sawari Ventures.

The Fintech firm plans to use the investment to expand within Africa and also launch new solutions.

MoneyFellows is a financial enabler that digitises money circles or ROSCA (known as gam’eyas in the Arab world, chit funds in India, committee in Pakistan, Tandas in Mexico, and tontine in West and Central Africa).

The company is described as a first-mover in supporting the financial inclusion and digital... read more

Zambia Cancels Uzi’s Licence

The government of Zambia has officially cancelled Uzi Zambia’s licence and invited new bids from interested regional and international telecom companies to set up the country’s fourth mobile phone network.

Transport and Communications Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya said despite the setback, the government remains committed to the promotion of competition in the telecom sector.

Kafwaya affirmed the view held by authorities that a fourth operator will encourage competition and reduce the high cost of communication ... read more

Nigeria’s Plentywaka launches B2C platform to bolster transportation

Nigerian solutions-based innovation tech firm Plentywaka has launched Logistics By Plentywaka (LBP), an expansion to the company’s bus transportation network in the city. Nigerian solutions-based innovation tech firm Plentywaka has launched Logistics By Plentywaka.

Nigerian solutions-based innovation tech firm Plentywaka has launched Logistics By Plentywaka. According to a statement released by the company, the Lagos-based business-to-consumer delivery service was launched in response to the city-wide lockdown and restriction of movement.

The B2C platform will provide ... read more

The Gambia Receives U$30m to Boost Telecoms, Energy

he Gambia has secured a US$30-million development policy grant from the World Bank intended for the development of the country’s telecommunications and energy industries.

According to the international financial institution, the fund will enable the country’s government improve debt and public investment management, financial viability and service delivery within both industries.

It is also intended to enhance the transparency and governance framework of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). World Bank representative...  read more

Windhoek's 5G Plans Opposed

Opposition politician on the municipal council of the City Of Windhoek (CoW), Brunhilde Cornelius, last week tabled a motion countering the secret Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the CoW and Chinese telecommunications giant's locally registered Huawei Telecommunications

Technologies Namibia for the installation of its 5G network in the city. The confidential MoU between the CoW and Huawei it to be in force for five years.

The 5G network project is to include design, equipment, implementation services and maintenance ... read more

Egypt Launches e-Waste Management System

Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has instructed telecom regulator NCA to commence implementing specific policies to ensure a level-playing field for all network operators within the country’s telecom industry.

According to a statement issued and signed by the Minister in Accra, the National Communications Authority is to enforce the provisions of the Electronic Communications (EC) Act 2008 and the National Telecommunications Policy to address glaring disparities in market and revenue share in the sector. 

Pointing to the growing market imbalance... read more

South Africa’s President Praises Amazon’s Job Creation Efforts

South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa has commended Amazon for its commitment to creating over 3000 jobs for locals. Ramaphosa notes, in his weekly newsletter, that this development comes at a time when many businesses are doing all they can to stay afloat in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

“Our economy is in the throes of the anticipated fallout from this global crisis. The predictions of businesses shutting down and jobs being lost are materialising,” he writes.

In spite of this, Amazon is investing in...  read more

Women Peacebuilders lead COVID-19 Prevention Efforts Across Libya Via WhatsApp and Zoom

Separated by their country’s divisions, both geographically and politically, 36 Libyan women have since used their phones to connect, discuss and overcome their differences in the interest of one goal: Peace in Libya. They have been a part of this network since July 2019.

Members of the group are not new to activism. Each member has her own network of activists in her own region where she is already working to support their own communities. Although rarely documented, Libyan women have always had a vital role in managing conflicts and making peace in their own families and communities... read more

Nigeria to standardise postcodes and enhance its National Addressing System

The collaboration with the National Space Research & Development Agency (NASRDA) will mean Nigeria can achieve a standard Postcode which will assist the country in enhancing efficient socio-economic planning, security intelligence gathering and provide investors with information.

The Postmaster General of the Federation, Dr Ismail Adebayo Adewusi, explained how NASRDA is the custodian of high-resolution mapping of the country and expert at analysing the Geographic Information System GIS. 

NIPOST can access up-to-date satellite. .. read more

Cameroon Implements New e-Customs System

Cameroon has rolled out the Cameroon Customs Information System (CAMCIS), a fully- automated electronic customs clearance system to reduce face-to-face engagement amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

CAMCIS was built by Korean engineers and is the result of a 12-year-old public-private partnership said Edwin Fongod Nuvaga, Director General of Customs.

The system is modelled on UNI-PASS, used by the Korea Customs Service, and designed to handle large volumes of data, fully automate processes and procedures as part of a paperless system...  read more

Google Employees Demand Company Stop Selling Tech to Police

A growing group of more than 1,666 Google employees is demanding Google stop selling its technology to police departments, TechCrunch has learned.

“We’re disappointed to know that Google is still selling to police forces, and advertises its connection with police forces as somehow progressive, and seeks more expansive sales rather than severing ties with police and joining the millions who want to defang and defund these institutions,” employees wrote in a letter to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. “Why help the institutions responsible for the knee on George Floyd’s neck to be more effective organizationally? Not only that, but the same Clarkstown police force being ...   read more

Andrew Yang is pushing Big Tech to pay users for data

Andrew Yang wants people to get paid for the data they create on big tech platforms like Facebook and Google, and with a new project launching on Monday, he believes he can make it happen.

Yang’s Data Dividend Project is a new program tasked with establishing data-as-property rights under privacy laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) all across the country. The program hopes to mobilize over 1 million people by the end of the year, focusing primarily on Californians, and “pave the way for a future in which all Americans can claim their data as a property right and receive payment” if they choose to share their data with platforms. ..  read more