GOREE ISLAND, Senegal, Jun 20 (APC)

The GOREe-TIC network was officially created Friday June 20th during the last day of a workshop covering the use and politics of ICT at the Gorée Institute. Its mission is to prioritise research and advocate change concerning the laws governing the rules and strategies of telecommunication in underdeveloped regions.

“A universal and affordable access to information technologies and communication to serve the development of Africa ; that is our dream” exclaimed Sylvie Siyam in Gorée Senegal, where she participated in the creation of GOREe-TIC.

Recently elected president of the GOREe-TIC network, Mrs. Sylvie Siyam of the Cameroonian NGO PROTEGE QV, expressed gratitude towards participants of Benin, Cameroon, Canada, Congo, Morocco, Mali, Niger and Senegal for building a plan of action to advocate in favour of adapted and regulated information technologies and communication (ICT) for Central and Western Africa.

“ Members of the civil society will become the motors of research and capacity reinforcement to create this plan of advocacy in six Central and Western African countries, as well at the regional level,” specified Mrs. Siyam.

The GOREe-TIC network was inaugurated during the last day of the workshop covering ICT at the Gorée Institute, in proximity of the Senegalese capital. The workshop was organised principally by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) with the support of the International Development Research Centre (IRDC).

More than twenty people coming from Central and Western African civil society have identified research priorities and the advocacy plan susceptible of provoking change in the laws, rules and strategies of telecommunications in underdeveloped regions.

The goal is to ensure that telephone services, Internet, media and other communication infrastructures are at a high standard and accessible for citizens of Benin, Cameroun, Congo, Mali, Niger and Senegal.

GOREe-TIC will be coordinated by Mrs. Coura Fall of APC and supported by three committees whose purpose if to reinforce the advocacy plan with research and knowledge.

The founding members of GOREe-TIC are AFRISPA of Mali, APC, AZUR Development of Congo, Alternative Niger, Alternatives of Canada, IDRC of Senegal, Forum des alternatives of Morroco, ISOC Senegal, ORIDEV of Benin, OSIRIS and PROTÉGÉ QC of Cameroon and the resource members ar as follows : Mouhamet Diop, Jaques Iyok, Ken Lohento (IPAO) and Malick Ndiaye.

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For more information, please contact Mrs. Coura Fall, Coordinator of the GOREe-TIC : +221 77 569.25.36.

(END/2008)