The gulf in access to information and communication technologies (ICT) between the developed North and the developing South is known as the 'Digital Divide'. Among those countries that lag furthest behind in their access to ICT are many sub-Saharan African countries. Most countries in the Caribbean are similarly afflicted. This situation is found not just in access to ICTs, including internet connectivity, but also in the connectivity of research groups in Africa and the Caribbean with their peers in Europe and elsewhere.
For the first time, African and European scientists and policy-makers in the field of Information and Communication Technologies are being brought together in Europe. Funded under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), the First ICT Summit between Europe, Africa and the Caribbean aims to expand the dialogue between the European, African and Caribbean ICT research communities and the authorities of the regions.
The First EuroAfriCa-ICT Summit will be held in Brussels, Belgium, early next year (dates and venue to be finalized). The two-day Summit will include:
- high-level presentations from relevant European and African political authorities;
- research and development awareness-raising sessions on the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development from the European Commission (FP7);
- round-table discussions; and
- opportunities for networking and identifying new partners.
In particular, opportunities for collaborative research in ICT under Call 4 within FP7, which will be announced in November 2008, will be highlighted.
African, Caribbean and European political stakeholders in the field of science and technology will have the opportunity to meet ICT experts from Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, heads of key institutions and international organizations involved in R&D issues on ICT, as well as representatives from each of the EuroAfriCa-ICT partner organizations. The aim of the Summit is to expand the dialogue between the European and African ICT research communities and authorities of both regions.
Some 400 delegates are expected to attend. Partial funding for travel will be made available for some selected speakers from Africa and the Caribbean. A Second EU-AfriCa ICT Summit will take place in sub-Saharan Africa in 2009.
Registration for the summit is free of charge but pre-registration (through the online form) is compulsory:www.euroafrica-ict.org/events/summit_register.php
Call for Papers
Engineers, innovators, researchers, scientists and organizations from sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and Europe working in all ICT fields are invited to submit an abstract of their ICT research work by 1 November 2008.
Submit your abstract online (in English, please!): http://euroafrica-ict.org/events/summit_call4papers.php.
A selection committee will evaluate the proposals received and invite the selected candidates by 30 November to present their research at the Summit. Abstracts focusing on the ICT themes outlined in FP7 will be given priority, namely:
- Pervasive and trusted network and service infrastructures
- Cognitive systems, interaction and robotics
- Components, systems and engineering
- Digital libraries and content
- Sustainable and personalised healthcare
- Mobility, environmental sustainability and energy efficiency
- Independent living and inclusion
- Future and emerging technologies
The First EU-AfriCa ICT Summit is being organized under the EuroAfriCa-ICT project, funded by the EC's DG Information Society and Media under FP7.
The EuroAfriCa-ICT project (www.euroafrica-ict.org) is funded by the European Commission under the 7 Framework Programme (FP7) and includes the following project partners:
- Orionis, France (as the project coordinator)
- TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, Italy
- Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), Belgium
- Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), United Kingdom
- Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS), Jamaica
- Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Rwanda
- Makerere University, Uganda
- Meraka Institute of CSIR, South Africa
- Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA), Senegal
Contacts: ict-summit@twas.org - info@euroafrica-ict.org