In an agreement signed with the African Network Operators Group (AfNOG), the Internet Society has announced that it will contribute USD 150,000 to support an improved offering of network technology training programs in Africa.
AfNOG serves as a forum for technical coordination and cooperation among African Internet service providers and network engineers from the region’s universities, research institutions, and industry.
The Internet Society’s support to AfNOG will focus on three key areas:
– Development of AfNOG’s Network Technology training programs and workshops;
– Development and update of AfNOG’s Network Technology workshop course materials; and
– Advancement of individual fellowship program to further attendance to AfNOG’s Network Technology workshops. The Internet Society and AfNOG have agreed to an increased emphasis on women’s participation in the fellowship program.
Announcing the agreement, Dawit Bekele, Director of the Internet Society’s African Regional Bureau, stated that, “More than 20% of Africa’s population was active online in 2015 ─ a critical level of adoption for the Internet to start making an economic impact. Technical skills training plays an important role in creating this opportunity and in contributing to our vision of ‘an Internet for Everyone’. For this reason, we have supported technical skills training for the operation of Internet networks worldwide for more than two decades, and we are proud to extend our support through AfNOG to build a better, stronger Internet for the continent.”
Internet Hall of Fame inductee, Jonathan B. Postel Service Award recipient and AfNOG Convener Prof. Nii Quaynor further noted that, “The values of building Technical Capacity, developing local communities and Internet growth that AfNOG and the Internet Society share have enabled the creation of so much Internet technical capacity in Africa since 2000. The multi-year funding support from the Internet Society will reinforce our cooperation and enhance the quality of our Training Programs to the benefit of the Africa Technical community.”
Staff Writer
