The Convention provides for the rights of landlocked countries to have full access to sea services and also fiber optic technology that is transmitted through the sea.

fiber optic Africa underseas cables

The Coordinator of I – Network Elisha Wasukira has told an EAIGF workshop at Hotel Africana that if the East African countries ratify this protocol it will protect the land locked countries’ rights of access to fiber optic technology that is remitted by sea.

Wasukira says though the other countries in East Africa that border the sea have not blocked the land locked countries from accessing fiber optic technology, it is preferable that this matter is now put into law such that the land locked countries can access fiber optic technology as a right other than the matter looking like the countries that border the sea are simply giving favors to the land locked countries.

Last year, the laying of the fiber optic sea cable that was later connected from Mombassa to Kampala though has had a significant impact on the provision of internet services in Uganda with the industry
becoming more vibrant than it was before in the recent past.

Three of the countries in the East African Community are land locked (Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda) and are expected to benefit from better ICTs infrastructure if this protocol is ratified.

Also see presentations made at the 3rd EAIGF conference in Kampala details below
By Zakaria Tiberindwa, Ultimate Media

2010 EAIGF Presentations

Day
1:
 Wednesday ,
11th August

 2010

Session 2:  National IGF Reports

Rwanda: Emanuel Hubemuremyi, Media High Council

Kenya: Joe Kiragu, KENIC

Burindi: Victor Ciza, AfriRegister

Uganda: Lilan Nalwoga, CIPESA

Session 3:  Cyber Security Management in East Africa

Increasing Online Safety in East Africa;  UNECA SRO- EA’S Cyber Security – Mactar Seck, UNECA

Mobile Telephone and Internet Security; Prospects and challenges for East Africa – Reinier Battenberg, Mountbatten Ltd

Country Case Study reports :

– Kenya:  Michael Katundu, CCK

– Rwanda: Allan Kabutura, Rwanda Development Board

– Tanzania: Sunday Richard, TCRA

–  Uganda: Patrick Mwesigwa, UCC

LAVIT Presentation: Gal hertz

Day
2:
 Thursday ,
12th August

 2010

Session 4:  Strengthening Critical Internet Resources

Strengthening ccTLD in Africa- Research Finding – Adam peake, Glocom

Country Comments :

– Kenya: Joe Kiragu, KENIC

–Rwanda: Geofrey Kayonga, RICTA

– Uganda: Charles Musisi, CFI

Update on New gTLDs Program: Katim Toury ,ICANN

Session 5: IPv6 Challenges in East Africa

Transitioning to IPv6: Challenges and strategies for East Africa – Titi Akinsanmi, AfriNIC

Country Study Case :

– Kenya: Esther Wanjau – Ministry of Information and Communication

–Rwanda: Geofrey Kayonga, RICTA

– Uganda: Ambrose Ruyooka, Ministry of ICT

Session 6: Access and Affordability to Broadband

Study of Broadband in east Africa, Challenges and Plans for East Africa – Douglas Onyango, Digi Clear East Africa Ltd.

Country Study Case :

– Kenya: Esther Wanjua, Ministry of Information & Communication

– Rwanda: Beata Mukangabo , RURA

– Uganda: Eng. Charles Lwanga Auk , Ministry of Information & Communications Technology

– Burundi

Interconnection opportunities and challenges in establishing Regional  IXP: Dawit Bekele, ISOC

Day
3:
 Friday ,
13th August

 2010

Session 7:  Emerging Issues

Cross-Border ICT Certifications training: Atsushi, Yamanak, JICA

Youth and Internet Governance in East Africa: Tony Vetter, Digital Opportunity Trust

Dot Connect Africa Initiative: Sofia bekele

Code of Good Practice and its Internet Governance: Natasha Primo, APC

Session 8: Way Forward

UNIGF Review; Introduction and Question: Chengetai Masango, UNIGF Secretariat

2010 EAIGF Draft Report Highlights: Rachel Kadama, I-Network, Uganda

EAIGF; Way Forward: Alice Munyua, Convener EAIGF

The post EAIG Forum wants East African Countries to ratify UN Convention on the law of sea first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

EAC boss, Juma V. Mwapachu

He adds that East African countries have a well developed agricultural sector which will also help in the growth of industries by providing the needed raw materials.

The East African Common Market which will be operationalised on 1^st July 2010 will allow free movement of labour and capital among the five East African community block Countries of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda.

Mwapachu appealed to all East Africans to embrace and exploit the opportunities available as a result of the East African Common Market for better livelihoods.

However, the real benefits of the East African Common markets are yet to be realized because it doesn’t totally allow free movement of people as East African will still need to carry their passports according to recent remarks by Uganda Minister of East African Affairs Eriya Kategaya.

Other East African countries are scared of East Africa’s industrial and commercial hub of Kenya because it’s financial and industrial power risks swallowing the financial, industrial and informal business sectors of all the other partner states of the East African Community. The Spokesman of the Uganda Kampala City Traders Association Issa Ssekito recently indicated that Ugandan traders are not prepared for the East African Common market because Kenyan traders will swallow their businesses.

Also see

East African states working on common IDs

Uganda Warid Telecom chief says East African Common Market will not help the industry much

Are We Ready for Common Market?

Ultimate Media

The post EAC boss says common market to spur industrialization first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.