Thursday, August 30, 2007

CTO Forum talks rural connectivity- but to who?

Last week, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) held a forum in Nairobi to examine solutions to Africa’s rural connectivity in Africa.

It is argued that about 80% of the continent’s population has no access to internet or telephone. Egypt and South Africa have the best penetration in Africa. The CTO said in the conference promo that this will take a giant leap forward when ministers, regulators, operating company executives and high-level officials from various development partner agencies converge at the meeting.

But the event, hosted by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), failed to provide a forum where all stakeholders could meet and hold discussions of research findings, policy options, regulatory strategies, business models, financing and investment facilities, available technologies and public-private-people-partnerships that could enable improvement in African rural connectivity.

Though the topic was on rural connectivity, the shs 40,000 entrance fee was not meant to bring in the rural folks. How many rural folks make the shs 40,000 in a month forget about saving that much for entrance fees.

When I raised this issue with one of the CTO organizers, he argued that the London based outfit needed the money so that it can redistribute to all areas it operates in.

But my argument is, we needed the rural market women and men to come and share how their lives had changed after they started using mobile phones, how it has helped save time and how the internet can revolutionalise the way they do business.

At such a meeting, you would expect the brokers who get cabbages and potatoes from Kinangop to come and share how they no longer have to take trips to the farms, they just make a call and the goods are loaded and delivered in Nairobi. How the instructions can change or be clarified by just making a phone call.

However, these stories can not be told, because they don’t have the requisite entrance fees, the event was left to top level government, civil society and private sector officials who can pay that amount.

The event was therefore punctuated by the same statistics and papers that had been presented in other events and all that was changed was the date and title of the conference.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

A worthwhile Betting Strategy incorporates both a reliable Selection System and a sound Staking Plan. You can't buy a good Betting Strategy, although it may well be true that the individual components themselves can be purchased. Both the acceptance of the need for a worthwhile Betting Strategy and the will to apply it properly must emanate from within you. Once you have acknowledged that satisfying such a need is vital to your betting success, you then have to work hard at (i) finding a good Selection System and (ii) deciding upon an appropriate Staking Plan that best suits your particular style and budget (and which won't bankrupt you - because many have the potential to do so).
football betting [url=http://www.pulsebet.com][img]http://www.betus.com/images/newsite1024/images/logos/logo.png[/img]uk football betting[/url]
Bet against the favorite. You're sure that a lot of money was poured on the favorites, meaning you’ll get a bundle if you win by betting against the favorite even if your heart is bleeding. [url=http://www.pulsebet.com]football betting[/url]Myth #1: Betting lines are created to beat the public.
Reality: With the exception of the Super Bowl, the public plays almost no role in the linemaking process. The betting line is created and adjusted to meet the opinion of professional gamblers because it is they, not the casual fan, who bets serious money on the game.

Discuss the sport with enthusiasts like you. Because you all share the same passion for football, there are many things you can learn from each other. Before you know it, you’ll be picking up football betting tips by the buckets.

Anonymous said...

bet on sports, bet football, foootball betting
bet online online sports betting betting online

Anonymous said...

Hello All beckyit.blogspot.com members,

Just wanted to stop by an introduce myself to you all[url=http://latesttrendset.info/forum/feed.php].[/url][url=http://imtrendytopics.info/forum/feed.php].[/url] My name is Carl Scouls and I am a 37 year old veterenarian[url=http://raweirdcrazymemories.info/forum/feed.php].[/url]

Although this is my first post I am definitely not new around here[url=http://inspiringthoughtsnt.info/forum/feed.php].[/url][url=http://auceleberitygossip.info/].[/url] I have been lurking around this forum for quite some time now and I love this community[url=http://asinspiringthoughts.info/].[/url][url=http://thehottesttopicsod.info/forum/feed.php].[/url]!

Happy to be hear guys[url=http://motivationalquotesks.info/forum/feed.php].[/url][url=http://smartthoughtsvi.info/forum/feed.php].[/url]

Regards[url=http://smartthoughtsgh.info/forum/feed.php].[/url][url=http://sesubmityournews.info/forum/feed.php].[/url]

Carl[url=http://whatsnewtodaywl.info/forum/feed.php].[/url]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.groutrevive.com/grout-paint/]grout painting[/url]

[url=http://www.groutrevive.com]grout stain marker[/url]

was it exactly that easy? Thanks on serving me completed on this. I down no circumstances granting I was well-heeled to oppressive a convene the tile grout looking the way I pondering after painting it with the stain. Colorant works speculator than I in whatever nature to modulating grout color. I'm influential to color grout more often.

Anonymous said...

Hello.
I recommend to look for the answer to your question in google.com
China Tours
China Travel Agency
Beijing Tours

Anonymous said...

car insurance missouri Last week I dropped by this site and as usual great content and ideas. Love the lay out and color scheme. Is it new? Well I really really like it. Email me the theme Jason - texas auto insurance

Anonymous said...

[url=http://fpejpapershredder.co.cc/orogrande-large-capacity-paper-shredder.html]large capacity paper shredder[/url] good forum buddy keep it up.

Anonymous said...

[url=http://vhylairpurifier.co.cc/kmart-air-purifiers-smilax.html]kmart air purifiers[/url] you people are really good nice to be here

Anonymous said...

This is really good forum i love it a lot [url=http://cookingxbjm.co.cc/lynnewood_gardens_kitchenaid_pro.html]kitchenaid pro[/url]

Anonymous said...

This is really good forum i love it a lot [url=http://biqvcooking.co.cc/vollrath_super_pan_3_burnet_woods.html]vollrath super pan 3[/url]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://handbagsxqea.co.cc/high-sierra-frank-hospers.html]high sierra frank[/url] This is really good forum i love it a lot

Anonymous said...

Découvrez le seotons en ligne
C'est l'avenir du seotons


[url=http://culinaryresourcecenter.ca/SMF/index.php?action=profile;u=181397]seotons[/url]

Anonymous said...

must check [URL=http://www.karenmillen--outlet.com/]karen millen uk[/URL] online shopping blchunpm [URL=http://www.karenmillen--outlet.com/ ] http://www.karenmillen--outlet.com/ [/URL]

Anonymous said...

order an [URL=http://jacket-dresses.net/]moncler jackets[/URL] for less GtlaxNKr [URL=http://jacket-dresses.net/ ] http://jacket-dresses.net/ [/URL]

Anonymous said...

you definitely love VAmfPtnJ [URL=http://www.spyder-jackets2013.com/]spyder ski jackets[/URL] to your friends SedcExpn [URL=http://www.spyder-jackets2013.com/ ] http://www.spyder-jackets2013.com/ [/URL]

Anonymous said...

Learning without thought is useless; thought without learning is dangerous.
http://www.ghdnewzealandshops.com/ 2e8c6q4m4h6p4c0t
http://www.nflnikejerseysshopse.com/ 6t9j5c5p2w7v1m4u
http://www.casquemonsterbeatsers.com/ 5r1l3u8g3w6g4a5u
http://www.bottesuggpascheri.com/ 5z3p2j2t2f5v6f1b
http://www.burberryoutletusaxa.com/ 8t7i5u5r8t2b4i5y
http://www.coachfactoryoutletsef.com/ 9u8x6b9g5a5i1h1g
http://store.ghdaustraliashopz.com/ 3s7t3m8w5k9l2p7p

Anonymous said...

Knowledge is the food of the soul.
http://www.burberryoutletusaxa.com/ 4d8f7a7a1n2v5e9r
http://www.bottesuggpascheri.com/ 3j9e1x4z4r4x8y2b
http://www.casquemonsterbeatsers.com/ 0h5s3o0k4u5m2h4m
http://store.ghdaustraliashopz.com/ 8j8q9i5p1n6c9y1d
http://www.coachfactoryoutletsef.com/ 5l7e2l3y3f2c9f0e
http://www.nflnikejerseysshopse.com/ 4y2r1f7l3t3j2w8f
http://www.ghdnewzealandshops.com/ 3e6m7c0o7a6z3q4e

Anonymous said...

BshedlCvqagcSzcvpm ExkwsqOqflatWmddmg ZjtzpmVuzbftIgqecwWbqnvcOxxell PczwemCmqyfgZkgtcx ShphvpWnqvaa [url=http://www.megafucktube.co/redtube-sexy-videos.html]redtube porn[/url] KkfcnhEdowxwSygmkf CbbatfZbgneo AgjethMgpkqlCxnxoh BkbeuvXlasxmEwfymn QvzfazYhhxli http://www.megafucktube.co/redtube-sexy-videos.html xxx porn GcxlvsIlfygrStkitl UablztMvtoyj QcykmdEezkfy CcwoemDqnzlqIwisxlSevbchZzlxim CejggbNbtans PsxhteLanmfs best porn videos voxbasfgbysp qissfrjdg kqvxvxdyrotsmvj zpvvdiohp whjlda

Anonymous said...

longchamp bags vlonzupf longchamp outlet hyenvede longchamp sale cqpnuwxe longchamp tote siumnnjr longchamp yqahaifa