Session: Interconnecting Africa: Opportunities and Obstacles Along the Way

Concise Description:
This workshop will give a deep analysis on the major Obstacles Africa as a region has and still is facing to become Interconnected, means of overcoming them and how take action as a multi-stakeholder community. It will also provide a better understanding of the Benefits and Opportunities of Interconnecting.
Discussions at the African Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF) meeting held in August 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya indicated that a lack of clear and supportive policies and regulations related to cross-border interconnection is hampering the growth of the networks on the continent and contributing to higher costs. This workshop seeks to create awareness amongst stakeholders of the issues, highlight the challenges through case studies, and propose an enabling policy and regulatory framework.
To assist participants more actively during the workshop, AfriNIC will publish a short guide to the issues under discussion on the AfriNIC website prior a few weeks prior to the workshop.
AfriNIC has also dedicated an hour on its meeting agenda in June, to raise the issue within the African community.