A meeting at the ISP Forum held at the ACT 2001 Summit saw the first steps towards founding an African Internet Service Provider Association (ISPA). To be known as afrISPA, the body will comprise ISPAs throughout the African continent. It will represent the interests of member ISP associations in negotiations with international, regional and national government bodies.
A key objective of the association will be to influence African IT and telecommunications policy, in order to create a positive regulatory environment for the development of the Internet in Africa. One of the group`s first tasks will be to reach out to all ISPs in Africa, and encourage the formation of national ISPAs, where these do not yet exist.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Eric Osiakwan, Secretary of the Ghana ISPA, said that the formation of the group was the outcome of intense discussions regarding Internet development during the ISP Forum, which brought together over 70 ISP representatives and other interested parties from throughout Africa.
"This is an important step forward for Internet development in Africa. It is vital for ISPs across the continent to co-operate together to promote their common interests in relation to IT and telecommunications regulation; to exchange knowledge and information; and where appropriate, to develop national Internet exchanges to reduce international communication costs."
The association will be contacting all ISPs across Africa to inform them of the group`s formation, invite existing ISP associations to join and encouraging ISPs to form national associations where they don`t exist.
Peter Van Roste, President of the European ISP Association, who had earlier made a presentation to the Forum on ISP development in Europe, welcomed the launch of the group and pledged the EuroISPA`s support of the African association`s development.
The ISP Forum at the African Computing and Telecommunications Summit (ACT 2001) organised by AITEC, was held with the support of the UK`s Department of International Development, which provided scholarships to enable ISP representatives to attend.
Sean Moroney, Group Chairman of AITEC Africa, organisers of the ACT Summit, pledged AITEC`s continuing support for the association.
For further information, please e-mail discuss@afrispa.org
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