Visit the MDG Review YouTube Channel for more videos (click the YouTube logo).

Summit Press briefing

Dr. Hamadoun Touré, ITU Secretary-General
H.E. Mr. Albert Butare, Minister of State for Energy and Communications (Rwanda)
Mr. Sami Al Basheer, Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau

Session 1: Towards a Vision to Connect Africa by 2015

Recognizing the significant role of ICTs as a catalyst for realizing the UN Millennium Development Goals, leaders at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) agreed to a set of targets, including ten connectivity goals, to be achieved by 2015. With fewer than eight years left, Africa is at serious risk of not achieving these targets unless we take urgent action. Within this framework, this opening session will introduce Connect Africa Goals, which reflect the unique challenges and opportunities of the region. Panelists will be asked to give their views on how these goals can be achieved.

Moderator:
Mr. Stephen Cole, Al Jazeera International
Overview:
Mr. Sami Al-Basheer Al Morshid, Director, ITU Development Bureau
Panelists:
H.E. Tarek Kamel, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Egypt and Chairman of the African Union Ministerial Conference on ICT

Mr. Carl-Henric Svanberg, CEO, Ericsson
Mr. J.M Briosa e Gala, Special African Envoy of the President of the European Commission
H.E. Mr. Qinjian Lou, Vice Minister, Ministry of Information Industry, China
Mr. Rob Conway, CEO & Member of the Board, GSM Association

Session 5: Creating an Enabling Environment for Investment

Key challenge for Africa today is how to integrate more closely into the global economy and to attract additional direct investment. This requires a business-friendly attractive policy and regulatory environment that fosters innovation, competition and investment. What are the policy principles that donors and governments can follow to encourage a competitive and innovative ICT market place? This session highlights success stories in countries from the region where forward-looking government policies have triggered strong business investment and economic growth.

Moderator:
H.E Dr. Benjamin Aggrey Ntim, Minister of Communications, Ghana
Overview:
Mr. Brahima Sanou, Head, ITU Africa Regional Office
Panelists:
H.E. Mme Sophie Gladima Siby, Minister of Telecommunications, Posts and ICT, Senegal
H.E Mr D.S. Mathur, Secretary DOT, Ministry of Communications
Mr. Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid, Director Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU
Mr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, CEO Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization
Mr. Reza Jafari, Chairman and Managing Director, NeuStar International
Mr.Jay Naidoo, Chairman, Development Bank of Southern Africa
Ms. Valerie d'Costa, Programme Manager , InfoDev

Session 6: A Commitment to Connect Africa

Fulfilling an African-led vision of rich connectivity both within the continent and to the rest of the world requires commitments and a coordinated approach involving leaders from the public, private and financial sectors. This final session, A Commitment to Connect Africa, will review the discussions and agreed goals of the Summit and review the commitments made by government, business leaders, donors and partners as well as highlight next steps to achieve the goals of the Connect Africa Summit.

Moderator: Mr. Stephen Cole
Panelists:
H.E. Mr. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda
Dr. Hamadoun I. Touré, ITU Secretary-General
Dr. Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank

Closing Press Conference

Panelists:
Dr. Hamadoun I. Touré, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Mr. Albert Butaré, Minister of State in charge of Energy and Communications of the Government of Rwanda
Mr. Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank
Mr. Craig Barrett, Chairman of the Global Alliance for ICT and Development, also Chairman of Intel Corp
Mr. Mohsin Kahlil, representing the World Bank Group