Ethiopia Ties with India in ICT Sector

Ethiopian Minister of Capacity Building Tefera Waluwa said here Wednesday the relations Ethiopia has forged with India in the area of information and communication technology (ICT) is helpful to the ongoing capacity building activities.

While holding talks with an Indian delegation led by the country`s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shashi Tripoti, Tefera said Ethiopia seeks India`s support to expand the education and health sectors through tele-medicine and tele-education.

He said the Indian government has earmarked 50 million US dollars to link 53 African countries with Indian universities and health institutions using information technology.

Tefera said the Ethiopian government was keen to benefit from the technology, adding the discussion held with the delegation would enable to increasingly use the technology.

He said the discussion was aimed at raising the quality of education through the use of information and communication technology and cost effectiveness.

The Ethiopian government was eager to widely employ ICT even in other economic sectors, Tefera said, adding that India has rich experience in solving some problems identified in the technology.

He said the long-standing relations between the two countries was being intensified in teachers` recruitment, scholarship grant to Ethiopians and experience sharing.

AngolaPress

In addition...

India has offered to set up a pan-African satellite interconnection system that would facilitate communication among African leaders and with the African Union (AU) headquarters here.

The Secretary of India`s External Affairs Ministry, Shashi U. Tripathi, leading her government delegation, Wednesday met with AU Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare to discuss the proposed satellite connectivity programme for Africa.

At the meeting, an Indian technical team highlighted the project objectives and its benefits to Africa.

Estimated to cost US$50 million, the continent-wide communications satellite network will also provide telemedicine capabilities within the AU member states.

According to experts, African countries would as well benefit from distance education through interconnection with designated universities in India.

AngolaPress