West Africa: Benin to host first West African E-content Summit

Highway Africa News Agency

A summit to discuss e-content strategies for the West African region under the theme:"Improving Digital Lifestyles in Sub-Saharan Africa" is due in Benin. The e-content summit is expected to be opened by the President of the Republic of Benin, H.E. Dr. Thomas Boni Yayi. Meanwhile the Benin-based World Summit Award (WSA) partner, Afrique Emergence and the Government of the Republic of Benin will be the co- hosts.

The summit starts from July 12-14, 2007, and will be the first West African E- content summit in Cotonou.

The 'Benin e-Content Summit 2007' is a unique gathering which primarily aims at giving to African ICT Leaders an opportunity to discuss how e-Content can help to foster developments in the western region of the African continent.

High-level representatives from the ICT industry (Internet service providers & mobile operators), governments, civil society, academia, private sector and international organizations from over 42 countries are expected to discuss on topics set around the theme: 'Improving Digital Lifestyles in Sub-Saharan Africa', in order to identify specific needs of people in least developed and developing countries in the fast-growing digital content industry from the user's point of view, and what it takes to deliver appropriate e-Content models for today's marketplace in Africa.

The participants to this summit, the first of this kind in Benin, will also explore current and future lifestyles in Sub-Saharan Africa and how they could be more effectively shaped by ICTs.

According to Mr. Hermann Rodrigue APLOGAN, President of Afrique Emergence and WSA Representative in Benin, the E-content Summit will serve as a starting point for the launching of official discussions that would lead to the establishment of the 'Pan African Agency for New Media', advocated to provide training courses in new media management for young people in Africa in order to help them to bridge the Content Gap.

Among the keynotes speakers to the summit, the organizers expect the presence of H.E. Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal, Dr. Hamadoun I. Touré, Secretary General of International Telecommunication Union, Dr. Cheick Modibo Diarra, President of Microsoft Africa, and Mr. Etienne Sinatambou, Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications of Mauritius.

The President of Afrique Emergence said that the World Summit Award network will be actively involved and special emphasis will be placed to present WSA winners and to meet with each other. This will help to create new partnerships in Africa's main regions, and share experiences with both African and international producers.

The West African E-content summit will be closed by a pre-selection ceremony of Benin best E-contents to be presented to the final competition of World Summit Award in November 2007.