eGY-Africa (better internet access for science in Africa)

The Goal:

The central goal of eGY-Africa is to make African communities wealthier, safer, and more sustainable through full participation in the information revolution.

The Opportunity

The Internet is a powerful and efficient method of providing scientists, students, educators, and the public everywhere with ready access to data, information, and services. It also permits unprecedented collaboration and sharing of information and expertise. These benefits are particularly valuable for people in African countries, where the limited resources for travel, data acquisition, and computational/analysis facilities restrict development.

The Problem:

In practice, science researchers, educators, and students in Africa are denied these benefits because they lack adequate computer facilities and access to the Internet. Instead of becoming more empowered and involved in worldwide developments, they are becoming increasingly marginalised. In places where Internet facilities exist, they are often available only through the private sector at high cost. This so-called digital divide appears to be increasing.

How can eGY-Africa add value?

The need to improve Internet facilities in Africa, particularly in schools, Universities, and other institutions is already being addressed by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and top policy-defining and policy advocacy bodies in Africa, such as the African Union, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, NEPAD, and the e-Africa Commission. Our strategy is to complement the efforts of such bodies by providing a bottom-up focus for the (geo)science community to (i) lend its voice in support of high level policy recommendations, and (ii) influence, at the local, national, and regional levels, those responsible for providing Internet services to Universities and related institutions.

Working Group Members: