With the creation of a new Orange Campus site in Senegal, the France Telecom-Orange Group (http://www.orange.com), which is present in some 20 African countries, reaffirms its commitment to strengthening its worldwide managerial community and to supporting managers in their daily responsibilities.

Located in the Dakar technology park, the first priority of the Orange Campus international site will be to offer development programmes to the 1,000 managers of the Group’s subsidiaries in Western Africa (Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal). Managers from other Orange subsidiaries in French-speaking Africa – the Central African Republic, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – may also benefit from the programmes on offer. In addition, the site will host managers from all of the Group’s countries through its international programmes, fostering diversity, which is integral to Orange Campus’s identity.

In 2013, more than 20 different managerial development programmes are scheduled at Orange Campus Dakar

The new Orange Campus site consists of several classrooms, a library area and an amphitheatre, and was designed to be configurable to the different teaching methods used during the sessions. Located next to the Orange-Sonatel Competency Development Centre, the site’s surface area of more than 300m2 can accommodate up to 160 people.

The programmes to be offered at the Orange Campus Dakar site are focused on three main priorities that are designed to strengthen the international approach favoured in Africa. These include:

 basic courses to give new managers the ability to take up their responsibilities quickly

 collective development programmes – the “collective challenges” – to enable executive managers to mobilize and develop their teams

 individual development programmes and management fundamentals to reinforce key managerial practices

In addition, a “made-to-measure” offering builds on existing programmes while targeting the managerial priorities of each country and adapting to the number of managers participating in the session.

The creation of Orange Campus Dakar is an expression of the Group’s commitment to preparing its international subsidiaries to take charge of certain training events directly by supplying them with all the necessary educational components and offering them special training sessions for local instructors, both internal and external. Eight internal instructors have already been certified in Africa. These measures will be applied to each country, based on their needs and resources. Each country will receive the necessary support to allow them to independently deploy the Orange Campus programmes.

For all that, the development of the Group’s managers in Africa is not new. Since 2011, more than 1,000 managers in 11 countries of Africa, the Middle East and Asia have already benefitted from Orange Campus programmes through sessions organized within the subsidiaries.

- Partners with over 70 local and international content providers

- Introduces new mobile infotainment offerings for the Operators

Mahindra Comviva ( http://www.mahindracomviva.com ), the global leader in providing mobile solutions beyond VAS, is rapidly expanding its mobile music offerings in Africa. Over the last 12 months the company has become one of the largest music aggregators in the African continent, having collaborated with over 70 partners including local and international content providers/copyright bodies/local artists and production houses in the region.

Currently Mahindra Comviva owns music rights for 35,000 music assets spanning multiple popular genres including Hip Hop, Pop, Inspirational, Rumba, Hip Life, Football Chants, Gospel, Jazz, Rock, Reggae and Retro in 30 plus languages. Operators in Africa have seen more than fourfold increase in their music services penetration and subscriber base, multi fold increase in their music revenues, using Mahindra Comviva’s digital services.

Mahindra Comviva manages an operator’s complete music and infotainment services portfolio bringing together content technology platform, discovery , analytics and recommendation tools, storefront management and business and marketing expertise to drive growth and usage. Recently the company launched its music and content recommendation engine, which enables operators to maximize VAS sales by matching music and content to customer preferences in real-time. The ability to cater to an audience has helped operators record a 50% growth in sales.

Commenting on its managed music services success in the continent, Atul Madan, Head of Digital Services, Mahindra Comviva said “We are committed to bringing world class digital services that enrich the lives of people across markets. We have focused on expanding the operator’s digital music and infotainment ecosystem by bringing local content application and partners in addition to recognized international labels. With our proven expertise in deploying and managing music services for operators, Mahindra Comviva is committed towards operator’s revenue growth.”

To help operators retain a dominant position in the marketplace and counter the threat from over the top players, Mahindra Comviva has also added innovative offerings to its popular infotainment suite “Hi Life” and “MyTV”, adding a wide range of digital apps – TV channels, news, health, recipes, astrology, delivered over multiple channels – video, voice and text, to subscribers over multiple channels including OBD, IVR, USSD, SMS, Star to Copy, Facebook, Customer Care and Web. Customers, for instance, can download the transcript whilst viewing a video of their favorite recipe. Likewise, customers can buy their favorite music as a downloadable video or a ring back tone from the same storefront.

Leading operator groups in Africa have outsourced management of their music services portfolio to Mahindra Comviva. On an average, music services in Africa contribute 40% to operators’ downloadable content revenues. To cater to fast evolving trends and sustain consumer engagement, the company is constantly introducing service features like Karaoke, user generated music content and social RBT.

According to a recent report, demand for content based services grew by 18% in 2012 and the global mobile entertainment market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.61% between 2013-2015.

CEO of Main One reiterated the significance of reliable and affordable connectivity in the development of the sub-region

Main One (http://www.mainonecable.com), West Africa’s leading communications services company last week joined Africa’s top telecoms carriers and executives to discuss the future of the West African wholesale telecoms market, and proffer solutions for enhanced and more effective broadband penetration across the continent.

Speaking at the inaugural West Africa Connect 2013 which was sponsored by the company and which held in Dakar Senegal from April 16 to 17, the CEO of Main One, Ms. Funke Opeke reiterated the significance of reliable and affordable connectivity in the development of the sub-region. Speaking at the keynote panel discussion on the theme: Evaluating Key Developments, Innovation and Growth Opportunities in The West African Wholesale Markets, Ms. Opeke championed the role of improved access to broadband on economic activities, improved educational delivery, government services and overall economic development.

During her presentation, she shed light on the growth opportunities that existed in the region for in wholesale broadband, identifying the increase in Internet penetration and content-rich broadband applications. “The development of fiber infrastructure by existing and new ISPs, the rise of wireless technologies and the emerging migration towards user-created content and social networking will continue to drive broadband penetration on the continent”.

Key discussions and debates on major issues such as investment to drive telecommunications growth in West Africa, and best practices in regulation were also centre-stage issues at the summit.

The conference was particularly useful to participants as it focused specifically on the challenges and opportunities unique to the West African wholesale market in a targeted and comprehensive format including a diverse selection of decision makers from West African and international wholesale markets.

As launch partner with Capacity Media as organizers, Main One is continuing to contribute to accelerating the growth of broadband across the West African region, thus aiding economic development.

Main One has launched West Africa into the global Internet arena in recent years with the launch of its private submarine cable in 2010. The company currently provides services directly and through partners in six countries in West Africa and is looking to further expand its reach across the region.

In order to promote new  African music talent, StarAfrica.com (http://www.StarAfrica.com) launches the second edition of the StarAfrica Sounds music contest, in partnership with Deezer and Zimbalam.

Open to all, the contest aims to give maximum visibility to artists coming from the African continent, notably through the distribution of their songs on the main streaming and downloading streaming platforms.

The first stage will be held between April 2013, 15th and May 2013, 31st: the candidates (singers, groups, artists, musicians…) will have the opportunity to register on StarAfrica.com, proposing an original song, representative of their musical universe. This song will then be online on StarAfrica.com, available for everyone to enjoy.

The second phase, from May 31st to July 1st, will let the public vote on StarAfrica.com and support their favorite candidates. The 5 candidates who will have collected the highest number of votes will then be selected for the final.

In a third and final stage, a jury composed of music professionals will designate the overall winner from the five finalists. His identity will be revealed in exclusivity on StarAfrica.com on July 2013, 8th.

The StarAfrica Sounds contest will allow the finalists to have their songs on Deezer Africa and North Africa, and distributed on the main digital platforms thanks to Zimbalam. Moreover, many prizes are to be won:

-          1st prize : an highlighting on StarAfrica.com and Deezer Africa and North Africa, a contact with the prestigious African music label Musiki, a Deezer for Artists certified account, a one year free access to Deezer Premium + and 3 album accounts on zimbalam.com

-          2nd to 5th prizes : a Deezer for Artists certified account, a one year free access to Deezer Premium + and 3 album accounts on zimbalam.com

The StarAfrica Sounds previous edition had been marked by the participation of more than 60 artists, coming from 19 countries, and the final victory of Kutchala Sutchi with his song “Gomanan”.

Deezer, the global music subscription service, recently launched in Africa bringing people access to over 20 million songs on any device with just one subscription.

Deezer’s mantra is music discovery, helping fans rediscover the joy of finding and sharing fantastic new music. Deezer’s partnership with StarAfrica.com will offer artists an exciting platform to reach new audiences around the world.

Aided by biometric data, the authorities will be able to account accurately for everyone entering and leaving the country

Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653) (http://www.gemalto.com), the world leader in digital security, has been appointed as prime contractor and turnkey supplier to provide Ghana Immigration Services (GIS) with a highly secure electronic visa and border management solution. This initiative is part of the eGhana project, an ambitious plan with backing from the World Bank to create a modern IT infrastructure that can support the country’s sustainable development plans in the years ahead.

With a population of 24 million, the Republic of Ghana is experiencing rapid expansion of cross-border travel. Recognizing the need to improve the security and efficiency of its existing procedures, the country’s immigration service has turned to Gemalto to deliver the benefits of a country-wide electronic border management system based on biometric authentication.

Gemalto acts as prime contractor and will take responsibility for integrating the advanced visa and border management solution, including change management, transitional training and maintenance services.

The company will deploy border management systems at Ghana’s main ports of arrival and will implement a fully computerized system for visa and permit applications processing and issuing, with the collaboration of Avalon Biometrics. The project also covers the set up of an online portal service for visa application, and the implementation of electronic gates at Accra’s Kotoka International Airport, for rapid, convenient and automated border control of arrivals and departures.

This mission-critical solution will streamline processes, reinforce national security and provide the GIS with enhanced border information and intelligence. Aided by biometric data, the authorities will be able to account accurately for everyone entering and leaving the country. The system will also improve the traveling experience, delivering faster and significantly more convenient border control procedures for visitors.

“To maintain Ghana’s economic development, we need an immigration system that can meet the challenges of rapid growth in international travel,” said Commissioner of Police Dr. Peter A. Wiredu, Director of Ghana Immigration Service. “Gemalto contributed to over 80 successful government programs worldwide and has all the required project management skills, reputation and expertise to deliver the country’s new IT infrastructure”.

“This advanced electronic identity management system is fundamental to the whole eGhana project,” said Ari Bouzbib, Senior Vice President for Government Programs at Gemalto. “It will put the country’s border control processes on par with the latest, cutting-edge practices worldwide. In addition to helping to transform Ghana, it can serve as a template for modernization across many other countries in Africa.”

Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has awarded a consortium of Huawei and local partner Altech Alcom Matomo a R485m contract to equip 1 200 km of commuter routes in Cape Town, Durban and Gauteng with GSM-R communications.

The contract signed on March 28 covers the provision of base stations, a core network and optic fibre transmission equipment to replace the existing MPT 1327 trunked radio system.

According to Huawei, this will be the first GSM-R deployment in Sub-Saharan Africa when it rolls out in 2015.

Hackers in the social media space are masquerading as the AUC Chairperson

It has come to the attention of the African Union Commission that there are hackers in the social media space, masquerading as the AUC Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Clarice (N.C.) Dlamini Zuma.

The AU Commission would like to make it absolutely clear that the AU Commission  Chairperson, is currently not holding any accounts with social media platforms.  The AU Commission would like all and sundry to desist from the unauthorised utilisation of Her Excellency’s name.

The African Union Commission holds official accounts with Facebook, Twitter and You Tube.

Distributed by the African Press Organization (APO).

SOURCE

African Union Commission (AUC)

Internet Society to host AfPIF 2013 in Casablanca, Morocco, 3 – 5 September

-       AfPIF 2013 accorded High Patronage by the Minister of Industry, Trade, and New Technologies

The fourth annual African Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF), organized by the Internet Society (http://www.internetsociety.org), will be held 3-5 September 2013 in Casablanca, Morocco.  A unique regional forum, AfPIF facilitates discussions on African Internet infrastructure challenges, including terrestrial capacity issues, national and regional Internet Exchange Point (IXP) development, local content development, measures to lower connectivity costs, and international peering. The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and New Technologies of Morocco has accorded his High Patronage on this event.

The three-day program brings together key stakeholders, including Internet service and content providers, IXP operators, research and education networks, government network managers, regulators and policymakers to share experiences and advance peering and interconnection arrangements.  The theme of AfPIF 2013 is “Policy Implementation and the Regional Content Factor,” and the forum will address region-to-region policy, tapping into terrestrial cable potential and traffic management needs, as well as content issues that are critical components of transit deficits.

“Nearly all peering and interconnection agreements are forged at regional and global peering forums such as AfPIF. We are pleased to offer this important event for the fourth consecutive year and provide an opportunity for the business and operational community to work together to augment Internet infrastructure and services in Africa,” said Dawit Bekele, Internet Society Regional Bureau Director for Africa. “AfPIF offers the ideal venue for discussions and ideas on how to implement more efficient and cost effective local, regional, and international interconnection and peering strategies.”

Chehadé Calls for an Increase in African Registrars

The President of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) (http://www.icann.org) said he is moving ahead immediately with plans to have six new ICANN representatives on the African continent.

“ICANN used to say if you want to participate in Internet governance come to ICANN,” said Fadi Chehadé. “We’ve changed that, now ICANN is coming to the stakeholders. We’re not waiting for you to come. We’re coming to you.”

Chehadé made his comments during the Africa Multi-stakeholder Internet Governance meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  The two-day meeting ended Friday after drawing Internet leaders from across the continent.

“We will have ICANN staff, at least one, in each of the 6 regions of Africa. North, South, East, West, Central and the Indian Ocean,” said Chehadé. “I want African on-ramps into the ICANN structures. I will give you the on-ramps, but you need to climb them.”

The ICANN leader also said he would like to see a dramatic increase in the number of accredited Domain Name Registrars on the African continent.  Currently there are only five accredited Registrars in Africa among more than one thousand worldwide, but Chehadé said he wants to see that number increase five-fold in less than two years.

“This is about us moving the needle forward. Africa will not wait,” said Chehadé.

The two-day event in Addis Ababa was attended by some two hundred people, including Ministers and other government representatives, leaders from the African business community, civil society and from ICANN structures in Africa; AFTLD and AFRALO.

The multi-stakeholder IG event was co-organized by the African Union, ISOC-Africa, AFRINIC and the African IGF.  It was preceded by a two-day workshop about the development of the DNS Industry in Africa.

During the event the implementation of an African Strategy for better engagement in Africa was discussed in detail. This strategy was prepared by representatives from the African community last summer and announced during the ICANN meeting in Toronto in October.  Fadi Chehadé reiterated ICANN’s commitment to help implement the three-year strategy in coordination with our global and regional partners in Africa.