Category: Science &Technology

{{SEOUL (AFP) }} – {Samsung and LG agreed Tuesday to end all pending legal disputes that had seen the South Korean electronics rivals accuse each other of stealing technology and vandalising products.
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A recent series of feuds between the two giants even saw one senior LG executive indicted by prosecutors for allegedly sabotaging Samsung’s washing machines at a trade fair in Germany last year.

The two firms’ display panel-making subsidiaries have also accused each other of stealing technology in separate lawsuits, which saw four Samsung Display officials indicted.

Under Tuesday’s agreement, the two sides vowed to end their courtroom battles and seek to resolve future disputes through dialogue.

“For ongoing legal disputes, we will take necessary steps to drop the charges and will ask for leniency from the relevant (law enforcement) authorities,” they said in a joint statement.

Bitter competitors in home appliance and TV markets both at home and abroad, Samsung and LG have locked horns for years over patent disputes and attack ads denigrating each others’ products.

Things got so bad at one point, that Seoul’s trade minister arranged a meeting between the two firms’ top executives in 2013 to broker a truce.

{Policy makers and experts in ICT gathered in Kigali for the Commonwealth e-Governance Forum Africa from 24-25 March 2015 have commended Rwanda as a model in using ICT and e-Governance for sustainable development. Participants at the Forum explored the different opportunities availed by information technology towards enhancing governments’ effectiveness in service delivery. }

Speaking at the Forum, the Secretary General of Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Professor Tim Unwin lauded Rwanda’s efforts in harness ICTs potentials to increase accountability and transparency.

“I congratulate the Rwandan people and the government for all achievements in the use of ICTs for sustainable development and for wide contributions. The progress of about 28 per cent internet penetration, more than 70 per cent mobile phone penetration and the recently adopted cyber security policy are some of the indicators of the government’s efforts toward achieving the benefits of e-Governance systems.”

Professor Tim Unwin further cited initiatives like the broadband strategy and Rwandapedia which were launched in 2013, as well as the Rwanda Online Platform which is slated to be operational by the end of this year.

The Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana stated that Rwanda is currently working to leverage latest ICT capabilities such as analytics, social media and mobility to deliver citizen centric and accountable governance.

“We must make governance work for the next generation. However much one might have accomplished in driving e-Governance, the road ahead is still too long. Issues like child online protection emerged as an important element from our discussion in this Forum. I commit that, in partnership with our stakeholders, we shall another discussion in June 2015 to discuss child online protection in collaboration with its early champions like Facebook.”

Themed “Smart Governance through a Networked Government”, the Commonwealth e-Governance Forum Africa explored topics geared towards promoting ICT as a tool for effective service delivery.

Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international body based in London engaged in multilateral collaboration of ICTs and uses its experience and expertise to support its members in integrating ICTs to deliver interventions that enrich people within the Commonwealth and beyond.

{Rwanda is targeting to see 70 percent of the households connected to internet by 2017, says Philbert Nsengimana, Rwandan minister of youth and ICT.}

He made the remarks on Monday while addressing local reporters ahead of the Commonwealth Electronic Governance forum which kicks off Tuesday.

About 200 information and telecommunication policymakers, members of academia and private sector players from Commonwealth nations will meet in the Rwandan Capital, Kigali to explore contributions of e-Government on socioeconomic transformation of the people.

“Rwanda embraced the power technology to change the lives of citizens from an agriculture-driven into a knowledge-based economy where all government services are accessed via internet,” said Nsengimana.

He noted that the government is targeting at least 70 percent of the population to have internet access by 2017 with convenient service provision through electronic governance.

“We also want to see all services between government and citizens available on-line by 2018 to bridge the gap of access to information for both the public and businesses. This will ultimately improve public service delivery through the digitalization of services,” the minister said.

He stated that the government is going to address the challenges brought about by slow internet speed which he said it’s going to be history in few years.

Last year the government and Ngali Holdings, a Rwandan company signed a deal to implement “RwandaOnline”, a platform that will make government services accessible on the internet and mobile devices.

The small central African nation rolled out a high-speed Fourth Generation (4G) broadband network that delivers download speed of up to 100 Megabytes per second.

The high speed wireless broadband technology builds on more than 3,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable that is rolled out across the country.

4G rollout in the country is expected to cost about 260 million U.S dollars within a period of five years.

The infrastructure also targets to cover 95 percent of the population within three years, according to the joint venture deal that is based on an initial 25-year term.
Presently 4G is only accessible in the capital Kigali but will be extended to the rest of the country within three years.

Over the last five years, ICT sector has attracted around 45 percent of all foreign direct investments in the post-Genocide country.

According to Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency, 25 percent of the population was active internet users by February 2015. Enditem

Source: Xinhua

{Ericsson has strengthened its collaboration with the Rwanda government following its selection as lead advisory and systems integration partner for the implementation of the Smart Rwanda Master Plan (SRMP).}

The announcement was made at the Mobile World Congress (#MWC15) by Jean Philbert Nsengimana, ICT minister, Rwanda and Fredrik Jejdling, President and CEO, Ericsson sub-Saharan Africa.

Commenting on the announcement, Nsengimana said: “The agreement reflects our shared belief in what lies ahead of us. Rwanda has been over the past 15 years been investing in new technologies that can transform the country.”

On his part, Fredrik Jejdling stated: “This marks the beginning of the partnership between Ericsson and the Ministry of ICT to develop Smart Rwanda. Ericsson will be the lead advisory partner and lead systems integration as well as implementation partner of solutions and services that are required for launch of Smart solutions and services in Rwanda. The role of the ministry will be to act as the facilitator of any necessary partnership frameworks. We will develop Smart Rwanda together and utilize our knowledge, skills and technology to support Rwanda’s ICT development.”

The Smart Rwanda Master Plan aims to power the country’s socio-economic transformation towards a knowledge economy through innovative, information-driven, ICT -enabled solutions. Through the SRMP, Rwanda aims to have a 24-hour self-service government, a situation where all government services will be online by 2018; a cashless and paperless government where all public sector financial transactions will be made electronically and via mobile by 2018 with about US $ 50 million in savings being realized in efficiency gains through outsourcing and reduction of future wage bill by foregoing recruitment of additional ICT staff by government.

It also expects to create over US $ 1 billion value in opportunities for the private sector in terms of projects to be implemented by SRMP via PPP model. It further aims to create about 100,000 jobs by fostering an enabling environment for private investments to drive job creation, productivity and competitiveness supported by technology and innovation.

The SRMP – which covers 2015 – 2020 – has the objective to build on the past National ICT Strategy, ICT Sector Strategic Plan’s (2013 – 2018) objectives which include strengthening the country’s economic base as well as improve its economic environment for accelerated growth towards achieving a predominantly information and knowledge-based economy.

Said Nsengimana: “This is something that’s going to drive Rwanda into our 2020 Vision which aims to transform Rwanda from an agriculture-based economy to a knowledge- and service-based economy. We’ve moved from focusing on infrastructure to skills and now our big focus is on services. The focus sectors are education, health, government, services (both to business and to citizens), financial sector and the entire business sector especially the SME segment and agriculture which is still a key sector in our economy. Our aim is to have services sector contribute upto 70 per cent of GDP by 2020.”

Rwanda also seems keen to use the experience and successful implementation of its SRMP to boost its image as a country that can be looked upon by neighbours as a model when it comes to using ICT for social and economic transformation.

“Rwanda currently hosts the secretariat of Smart Africa and one of the things we agreed as part of the Smart Africa Alliance is to have each partner country develop its Smart country programme, meaning that we will have Smart Uganda, Smart Algeria, Smart Gabon, Smart Senegal and Smart South Africa and along the same principles and with Rwanda as the host of the Secretariat, we’re keen to expand this partnership even beyond Rwanda and see what we can do together to promote a similar model that we’re going to create to adopted by other countries as part of the Smart Africa Alliance,” noted the ICT minister.

On why the Rwanda government chose to work with Ericsson, the minister said: “Ericsson, in the first two phases, especially in the phase where we’d to roll-out infrastructure became a very key partner and even up to date, Ericsson powers most of our mobile networks. So Ericsson is key partner but the fortune is not in the infrastructure but what the infrastructure will enable and the transformation this will bring to the country.”

Commenting on Ericsson’s work in Rwanda, Jejdling said: “Rwanda has developed in terms of mobile telephony over time and we’ve had a significant share of that business in the country. We’ve a shared agenda with Rwanda government.”

Still on the issue of shared agenda, Nsengimana noted: “Let me add that in terms of agenda marching with Ericsson, both our principals – President Paul Kagame and Chairman of Ericsson – are members of the Broadband Commission for Digital Development and at global level, both believe in the power of IT to address poverty in Africa.”

Apart from the government, Ericsson also works with MTN Rwanda

{{Source: CIO East Africa (Nairobi)}}

{Jean-Philbert Nsengimana, Rwanda’s Minister of Youth and ICT, explains that two former ministries were combined as part of Rwanda’s President strategy to fast-track a knowledge-based economy through the combined power of technology and youth. In an Interview with European Times, He discusses his ministry’s priorities and below are excerpts of the Interview.}

{{ European Times}}: What are some of your current projects?

{{ Jean-Philbert Nsengiman}}a: We are implementing the “Smart Rwanda” Master Plan, our 4th Generation ICT for Development Plan. We began the process in 2000 with a 20-year plan to transition from an agriculture-based to a middle income, knowledge-based economy. In the first five years, we focused on building an enabling environment for investments, liberalised the sector, created an ICT Authority and welcomed private telecom investors. In the second phase, the government invested heavily in a fibre-optic backbone, initiated the One Laptop Per Child and other access initiatives. In the third phase, we focused on ICT services. The current fourth phase aims to fast-track the transition into a knowledge economy with a special focus on five key areas: education, healthcare, agriculture, government, and the private sector.

{{ European Times:}} What about the relationship between ICT and youth?

{{ Jean-Philbert Nsengimana}}: Rwanda’s digital natives have on one hand the skills and passion to use ICT and on the other need jobs. New developments include K-Lab, a youth innovation hub, and YouthConnekt, which connects the youth to role models, resources, skills and employment opportunities. Many young Rwandans have turned their ideas into innovative companies. Many are starting a business when they graduate from university. Last year Rwanda registered 4,169 small-to-medium-sized ICT start-ups. This is a strong indicator of the progress that has been made. We have also put in place several structures and programs to provide youth with expert advice and facilitation accessing financing. This ministry wants to make sure Rwandan entrepreneurs are successful. We hosted the Transform Africa conference in 2013 with the theme of delivering the promise of the future, today. The next edition is coming up in the last week of October 2015. Meanwhile, the initiative has reached continental proportions and is profoundly shaping Africa’s ICT agenda.

{{European Times}}: Why should investors target Rwanda’s ICT sector?

{{ Jean-Philbert Nsengimana}}: The ICT sector is growing faster than any other in our country. The number of Rwandans using mobile payments and enjoying financial inclusion has increased from 200,000 in 2010 to 5.5 million today. Services based on ICT such as e-commerce are really booming. Rwanda offers ICT investment opportunities in education, implementing cutting-edge ICT in key sectors of our economy, a Tech city (Technopole), business-process outsourcing (which is expected to grow 90% by 2020), and more. For big ICT powerhouses, there is no better place for a regional headquarters than Kigali.

{{ European Times}}: What is your personal message to potential investors?

{{Jean-Philbert Nsengimana}}: Rwanda is the easiest place to do business in Africa and is a gateway to a much larger market that is unfolding as we speak: the entire African continent.

{The Government of Rwanda signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Ericsson to boost the Rwanda’s vision of becoming an information-rich and knowledge-based economy and society and an ICT hub in the region.}

The MoU has been signed at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Tuesday, where the Rwanda’s Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana on behalf of the government of Rwanda signed the MoU with communications giant Ericsson for broadband and internet services. The partnership is part of a Smart Rwanda being run from the Ministry of Youth and ICT.

Minister Nsengimana stressed that “Rwanda has over the last couple of years been investing in this new technology because our President and Rwandan people believe in the transformative power of technology for development… Over the period of time we’ve done a lot in terms of putting in place an environment, policies and institutions that are going to drive that transformation, we’ve been putting a lot efforts in building ICT infrastructures…”

He noted that “In Rwanda, we are steadily moving towards our vision of becoming an information-rich and knowledge-based economy and society, and an ICT hub in the region. However, our focus is not just technology, but how it can be used to deliver better services, create jobs and transform the Rwandan society and economy in a constantly changing environment. This is the focus of the SMART Rwanda Plan.”

The deal with Ericsson will see the Swedish firm be tasked with upgrading infrastructure and services in areas such as e-government, healthcare, business and education, as well as providing network security for government systems. President of Ericsson Sub Saharan Africa, Fredrik Jejdling said that the project is set to drive ICT development in Rwanda.

Smart Rwanda aims to help Rwanda achieve its ICT for Development Vision, one village at a time. This is essential to key sectors including: Education, Healthcare, Governance, Business, Agriculture, Environment, Job Creation, Infrastructure, and Smart Cities.

Rwanda continues to be one of the fastest growing African countries in ICT and there are several avenues for growth for the ICT sector – from e-commerce and e-services, mobile technologies, applications development and automation to becoming a regional center for the training of top quality ICT professionals and research. A robust ICT industry can create wealth, jobs

{The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) has ranked Rwanda as the African country with the most affordable internet. The Alliance announced the rankings at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. }

In the ‘Affordability Report’, countries are ranked according to various drivers such as effective broadband structures, enhanced competition, spectrum allocation, and infrastructure sharing models.

Rwanda tops the continental list with an overall composite score of 52, followed by Nigeria and Morocco. Uganda and Kenya are also on the list.

Commenting on the report, Rwanda’s Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana hailed the country’s effective policies as the bedrock of ICT sector’s success: “The country’s broadband connectivity has become a key competitive differentiator in the global economy. We have made significant progress already for the widespread adoption of ICT, particularly in sectors such as health, education, agriculture, as well as business and finance.”

The ‘Affordability Report’ looks at the state of broadband policy across 51 developing and emerging economies.

Sonia Jorge, the Executive Director of A4AI, said: “The good news is that a clear roadmap to progress has emerged to embrace broadband. Global experience has delivered a set of policies and principles which – when implemented in an integrated fashion and combined with strong leadership – can deliver real change, fast. We urge policy makers in all countries to follow these recommendations.”

Rwanda aspires to become a knowledge-driven, middle income country by 2020, with ICT as a central engine to fast-track the country’s transformation. Initiatives like Smart Rwanda are driving this transformation by providing affordable internet.

A4AI is the world’s broadest technology sector coalition with over 70 members, including technology corporations Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Facebook, and Ericson.

({{BBC)}}-{Scientists have unearthed the jawbone of what they claim is one of the very first humans.
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The 2.8 million-year-old specimen is 400,000 years older than researchers thought that our kind first emerged.

The discovery in Ethiopia suggests climate change spurred the transition from tree dweller to upright walker.

The head of the research team told BBC News that the find gives the first insight into “the most important transitions in human evolution”.

Prof Brian Villmoare of the University of Nevada in Las Vegas said the discovery makes a clear link between an iconic 3.2 million-year-old hominin (human-like primate) discovered in the same area in 1974, called “Lucy”.

Could Lucy’s kind – which belonged to the species Australopithecus afarensis – have evolved into the very first primitive humans?

“That’s what we are arguing,” said Prof Villmoare.

But the fossil record between the time period when Lucy and her kin were alive and the emergence of Homo erectus (with its relatively large brain and humanlike body proportions) two million years ago is sparse.

The 2.8 million-year-old lower jawbone was found in the Ledi-Geraru research area, Afar Regional State, by Ethiopian student Chalachew Seyoum. He told BBC News that he was “stunned” when he saw the fossil.

“The moment I found it, I realised that it was important, as this is the time period represented by few (human) fossils in Eastern Africa.”

The fossil is of the left side of the lower jaw, along with five teeth. The back molar teeth are smaller than those of other hominins living in the area and are one of the features that distinguish humans from more primitive ancestors, according to Professor William Kimbel, director of Arizona State University’s Institute of Human Origins.

{{Rwanda, Nigeria and Morocco top table of affordable internet in Africa}}

For those that can afford broadband at home, a connection to the internet is often taken for granted. But there are billions of people across the world that are still battling to surf the web.

That shouldn’t really come as a surprise, but according to the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), there are at least two billion who still can’t connect to the internet at an affordable price.

During Mobile World Congress yesterday, A4AI released its annual ‘Affordability Report’, which aims to highlight the nations that are still struggling with broadband connections and the associated prices thereof.

“Across the countries surveyed by A4AI, a fixed broadband connection costs the average citizen approximately 40% of their monthly income, eight times more than the affordability target set by the UN Broadband Commission in 2011. Mobile broadband is cheaper but still double the UN threshold, averaging 10% of monthly income — about as much as developing country households spend on housing,” A4AI said in a statement.

In the report’s ‘Affordability Index’, the top five developing countries with the most affordable internet are all African, and is topped by Rwanda, Nigeria and Morocco.

There is still much to be done in Africa in order to bring the pricing down, and the A4AI notes that Latin America is leading the way for developing nations in creating reforms that will make things a little bit cheaper.

Where does South Africa rank of its Affordability Index? Well, it’s all the way down in 20th place with an Overall Composite Score of 43.4.

Below is the Affordability Index – the higher the score, the more affordable internet is in that particular country.

Source: {HTXT.AFRICA}