1. Introduction to eGY- Africa eGYAfrica 2010, Accra, 24-25 Nov 2010 Charles BARTON Australian National University, Canberra cebarton@gmail.com

2. eGYAfrica Committee

3. African Earth and space scientists seeking better Internet connectivity in research and education institutions Patrons IUGG - International Union of Geodesy & Geophysics IAGA – International Association of Geomagnetism & Aeronomy ICSU – Regional Office for Africa AGS – African Geospace Society

4. International Polar Year International Heliophysical Year Electronic Geophysical Year, 2007-2008 Four International Science Years after IGY

5. * Adama Samassekou – UN World Summit on the Information Society, 2004 Data access, virtual observatories Data discovery, metadata Data release Data preservation, recovery Capability building and outreach. “Knowledge is the common wealth of humanity” *

6. PingER - TCP throughput

7. Groups concerned about the digital divide - 1 AAS – African Academy of Sciences AAU – Association of African Universities ACBF – African Capacity Building Foundation AEGOS – African-European Georesources Observing System AEON – Africa Earth Observing Network AfriNIC – Africa Network Operators Group AfNOG – Africa Network Operators Group Africa Array AGS – African Geospace Society AISI – African Information Society Initiative AMCOST – Africa Ministerial Council on Science and Technology APS - Africa Physical Soiciety ASN - Africa Scientific Network ARAPKE – Africa Regional Action Plan for Knowledge Economy ARSC - Arctic Region Supercomputer Center ASTII – African Science, Technology & Innovation Indicators Initiative AU – African Union AXIS - African Internet Exchange System

8. Groups concerned about the digital divide - 2 BWC - Bandwidth Consortium CAAST Net - Network for the Coordination and Advancement of sub- Saharan Africa-EU Science & Technology Cooperation Canon Foundation for Scientific Research CODATA – Committee on Data for Science & Technology CODATA TG: Preservation of and Access to Scientific and Technical Data In Developing Countries. CODATA TG: Data Sources for Sustainable Development in SADC. COMIT4AFRICA Connect Africa Digital World Forum e-Africa Commission EC – European Commission EGEE - Enabling Grid for e-Science eGY-Africa eiFL.net - Electronic Information for Libraries EIS-Africa – Environmental Information Systems - Africa

9. Groups concerned about the digital divide - 3 eLearning Africa EuroAfriCa-ICT EU-AU Partnership on Science, Information Society, and Space EU-AU Partnership on Infrastructure (Interconnecting Africa) FEAST - Feasibility Study for African-European Research and Education Network Interconnection Geospatial Infrastructure for Africa GIRGEA - Groupe International de Recherche en Geophysique Europe Afrique GIRAF - Geoscience Information in Africa GIA - IUGG Geosciences in Africa Harvard University – Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa Hewlet Packard-UNESCO programme for Grid infrastructure, IAC - The InterAcademy Council IAP - InterAcademy Panel on International Issues IAP Program: Access to scientific information in developing countries ICASE - International Council of Associations for Science Education ICTP - International Centre For Theoretical Physics

10. Groups concerned about the digital divide - 4 ICSU-ROA - ICSU’s Regional Office for Africa IGRGEA - the International Group of Research in Geophysics in Europe Africa IHY-Africa Inkaba ye Africa INASP – International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications ICESA - International Commission on Earth Sciences in Africa (IASPEI) INTERNET2 IST-Africa NASAC - Network of African Science Academies NEPAD – New Partnership for Africa’s Development NASAC – Network of African Science Academies NSF – CISE Computer and Information Science & Engineering $100 laptop OLPC - One Laptop per Child Pan-African e-Network PANGIS – Pan-African Network for a Geoscience Information System PHEA - Partnership for Higher Education in Africa PingER – Ping End-to-end Reporting

11. Groups concerned about the digital divide - 5 PAREN - Promoting African Research and Education Networking; International Development Research Center: SciDev.Net - Science Development Network Science and Technology for Africa CSAGI – Scientific Council for Africa SAMTEX Sharing Knowledge Foundation SARUA – Southern African Regional Universities Association of Universities SPIDER – Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Countries START – EuroAfrica-ICT initiative under FP6 TWAS – the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World UN – United Nations UN ECA – UN’s Economic Commission for Africa UN GAID – UN Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development UN GAID – e-SDDC UN Global Alliance for Enhancing Access to and Application of Scientific Data in Developing Countries (e-SDDC) UNESCO Earth Science Education Initiative in Africa

12. What we must do … Influence decision makers to ensure that Internet connectivity in research and education institutions gets high priority How? …..

13. To influence decision makers: 1.Raise awareness about the digital divide and the cost- benefits of effective internet connectivity in research and education. 2.Work through national groups of concerned scientists/others to speak with a single voice. 3.Link other bodies etc. with a common purpose. Make use of support from the international science community. 4. Assemble information that can be used to argue for better Internet connectivity status reports, declarations, policy statements, cost-benefit assessments, problems & barriers, successes stories, comparative case histories, comparative bandwidth costs, …

14. Imperatives Establish national/regional eGYAfrica groups Start with a few and expand Build on existing efforts - avoid duplication of effort - use existing networks - liaise other organisations Promote recognition of eGYAfrica Secure high-level, broad patronage Foster a common sense of purpose & passion Get funding

15. Outline 15

16. The winds of change …. The expansion of fibre-optic infrastructure in and around Africa holds out the very real prospect of eliminating the digital divide. “Africa is about to become the best interconnected continent in the world via several submarine cable projects starting operations 2009-2011. Although it will still take time to get a dense terrestrial fibre grid providing back-hauls, all major hubs seem now to be connected and most African countries can accelerate their development towards knowledge societies as its foundation, an open access information and communication infrastructure, becomes available for all to benefit from in their businesses and as citizens.” FEAST Report, www.feast-project.org

17. www.egy.org/egyafrica.ph p eGYAfrica News Email lists Secretary: Alem Mebrahtu (Ethiopia)AlemMeb@googlemail.com Co-chair: Victor Chukwuma (Nigeria)VictorChukwuma@yahoo.com Co-chair: Charles Barton (Australia)Charles.Barton@anu.edu.au Interested in getting involved?

18. Thank you charles.barton@anu.edu.au Thank you