CIPESA has published and disseminated informative public briefings on the African Network Information Centre (AfriNIC), ICT indicators and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy), Regional Perspectives on Open Access ICT Infrastructure, Leveraging Universal Service Funds to Grow The Uptake of ICTs, and many other subjects. We have carried out some of this research in 11 countries in East and Southern Africa, although most of it has been in fewer countries. Many of these briefings are to be found under the ‘Publications’ section on this website.
Our recent work has included studies and advocacy on interconnection regimes; research on pre-requisites for extending new generation networks to hard-to-reach areas in Africa; the impact of the Universal Service Fund in Uganda; Making broadband accessible and affordable in East/South Africa; A review of policy encumbrances to extension of wireless in selected African countries; Advocacy on Internet Governance, including co-organising national and regional consultations and meetings on IG; Presentation to MPs on ICT committees of policy briefs; Research on consumer protection for ICT goods and services; and research ICT and environment sustainability tools and practices.
We have over the years co-organised or funded events in countries in Burundi, Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Uganda, forums that have debates many of the issues we feel arte crucial to enabling ICIs to catalyse development. Partners in some of these workshops and other initiatives have included the Association for Progressive Communications, Balancing Act, Women of Uganda Network, KICTANET, One World Africa (based in Zambia) and I-Network Uganda.
Back in 2004/05, CIPESA played a leading role in the deliberations to the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) held in Tunis in November 2005. Specifically, the collaboration prepared a briefing document on Internet Governance to inform regional stakeholders on the salient issues and institutions that were up for deliberation during the Summit. Titled, ICANN, Internet Governance and Africa, the public briefing explored issues on the status of the Summit and the key points of debate for stakeholders in the region.
Circulated in both print and electronic versions, the briefing attracted tremendous response from the media and civil society organisations who followed and participated in the Summit. Even after the Summit, the public briefing was warmly received by participants at various forums where it was presented.
