N-2-3-020.22

Speaking Out on African Internetworking
by Wendy White*
<wwhite@nas.edu>

I attended the INET '93 meeting in San Francisco.  I was pretty appalled
about what I "learned" about electronic networking in Africa.  For example,
one speaker told his audience that there were no packet switching networks on
the continent.  (I guess he forgot to update his ancient notes because there
are such networks in Egypt, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Senegal, and the list goes on.)

I learned from another speaker that there was little hope for networking in
Africa because the population explosion was outstripping the ability to
provide communication links.  (Maybe he should see how e-mail is working in
Zambia and Zimbabwe before he pronounces his doom and gloom on an audience
that, for the most part, was stunned by his presentation.)  Another speaker,
pointing his finger to his mouth and rubbing his belly, told us that
communications in Africa was of minor concern to Africans compared to that of
hungry populations.  (Doesn't he realize the importance of a good
communication infrastructure as an underlying tool to help solve some of
Africa's problems?)

It would have been irresponsible to let these falsehoods stand and
become part of the official record of INET '93.  Those of us who are deeply
involved in African networking decided, therefore, to hold our own session to
demonstrate that the African continent is full of networking efforts.
Although our meeting had to be held after the official close of the conference
and will not be a part of the proceedings, it served the useful purpose of
providing a forum for the Africans who attended INET '93 to report on their
activities.

We expected about 35 people at the meeting; instead there were 55 there.
Forty-six of those people signed the attendance list:  8 were from Europe; 12
from North America; 1 from Australia; 1 from Surinam, and 24 from Africa.  The
15 African countries represented were Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea,
Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda,
Zambia, and Zimbabwe.  Some of the international organizations represented
were the World Bank, WHO, UNDP, the Red Cross, UNITAR, ORSTOM, and the
International Development Research Center.  Other groups there were the
American Association for the Advancement of Science, NirvCentre, the
Congressional Research Service, SatelLife, and the National Research Council.

In summary, we learned about some of the umbrella networks operating in
Africa.  These included RINAF, PADISnet, GreenNet, Healthnet, PacSat, Web,
Pegasus, and Rionet.  From each country representative, we heard about
initiatives in local networking.  These included Ghastinet (Ghana), Mangonet
(Zimbabwe), Zangonet (Zambia), Tannisat (Tanzania), EMUnet (Mozambique),
Uninet (South Africa), and Esanet (Kenya and elsewhere).  These networks are
not without problems and these will be the focus of my next column.  Overall,
however, the motto cited by the team from Mozambique seemed to be echoed by
all the African participants:

      "Start as soon as possible with no resources; do as much as you
      can with no resources."

.. and, I might add, don't get discouraged by people on this side of the
ocean who refuse to recognize your achievements.  I hope we helped to set the
record straight.

* National Academy of Sciences, Washington DC, USA