The ICT Expo was officially opened in Windhoek today, unveiling an array of leading edge information and communication technologies (ICT) solutions, products and services.

The ICT Expo is an initiative of Telecom Namibia and Windhoek Show Society and is taking place alongside the annual Windhoek Industrial and Agricultural Show that started on 25 September.

The exhibition is taking place under the theme: "˜Visualising the future - confronting the crisis`.

Telecom board chairman, Joseph Iita, says the exhibition is proof of Telecom`s involvement and leadership role in the country`s information and communication technologies and telecoms sector.

"In order to reap the benefits of information and communication technologies, one key initiative of Telecom, through collaboration with other role players, to help raise public awareness and the mobilisation of all institutions for the effective use of the latest digital technologies," says Iita. The exhibition gives Telecom the platform to highlight its latest technologies.

Iita added that the ICT Expo is in line with Vision 2030, and the aim of the event is to help Namibia build a strong, strategic, integrated, and secure ICT sector.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Raphael Dinyando, on opening the exhibition yesterday said the exhibition represents the start of a collaborative effort by the information and communication sector to commemorate the annual African Union Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) week. The World Summit of Information Society launched the first ICT week in 2005 for November 14 to 20.

Dinyando said the week "provides an opportunity to reflect on the gains Africa has made in harnessing ICT to realise a knowledge-based economy and achieving the millennium development goals".

A number of Government initiatives are underway to assist and build capacity to create an enabling environment to develop, transfer and apply ICT within social and national economic transformation.

Besides the much-debated Communications Bill "“ which the public has dubbed "˜Spy Bill` "“ other initiatives include the enhancement of the broadband connectivity through the West Coast Cable System.

Dinyando says there is ample proof that a steady introduction of technological advances across the length and breadth of the country is a very sound investment as well as a social responsibility. In addition, a lot is achieved in the provision of fixed and mobile telephone services throughout the country.

"The biggest challenge facing the sector today is to find ways and means to further bridge the gaps and disparities in service provision in towns on the one hand, and the rest of the country on the other," said Dinyando.

Although the sector is rolling out broadband and Internet services to rural areas, Dinyando called for the sector to "give high priority to the improvement of ICT services to citizens".

"It is therefore imperative that we explore the potential ways of utilising digital technologies in empowering our people and communities to better perform their tasks and roles in our increasingly technologically driven information centred and knowledge-based economy," says Dinyando.

WINDHOEK 24 August 2009: Telecom Namibia today announced a smart partnership with the Windhoek Show Society (WSS) to stage the first ICT EXPO in Namibia. The EXPO will run concurrently with the Windhoek Industrial and Agricultural Show (WIAS) slated for 25 September "“ 3 October 2009.

With the world focus on information communication technologies (ICTs) and their impact on economies around the world, this event will highlight the importance of technology in developing African countries, such as Namibia. More importantly, the EXPO is expected to showcase advanced ICT technologies and solutions to the Namibian consumer, while at the same time creating business opportunities for key service providers and solutions vendors.

The 9-day event aims to bring together key stakeholders in the ICT industry in an interactive information sharing way against the backdrop of a focused exhibition-style atmosphere.

Telecom Namibia`s General Manager of ICT and Corporate Business Solutions, Coenraad Coetzee is optimistic that the ICT EXPO will provide mutually beneficial opportunities for communication and networking for stakeholders.

"Telecom Namibia and the Windhoek Show Society would like to bring together some of the world`s leading ICT solution providers to do technical exhibitions and to provide opportunities to discuss new advancements and technologies with key industry organisations. On the other hand, the consumers will see the latest developments that will help them keep implementation costs down and maximise return on ICT investment," Coetzee said.

According to the WSS Managing Director Harald Schmidt, the inclusion of the ICT EXPO is an important developmental milestone as it signifies growth in the business related component of the WIAS programme.

Schmidt explained that speciality fairs and expos are used globally to cater for the needs of specific business sectors. "The Tourism & Travel EXPO, held annually at the Windhoek Show grounds is proof that the Windhoek Show facilities can host such special events very successfully," he said. "The ICT EXPO represents tangible evidence that the WIAS is capable of transforming itself by embracing new challenges and thereby ensuring its continued influence in the regional and national economic business spheres."

He added that combining the ICT EXPO with the WIAS will have definite positive spin-offs for all stakeholders concerned.

"For the ITC EXPO exhibitors the large number of visitors to the WIAS (in excess of 90,000 visitors) far exceeds the visitor totals of any expo or fair in Namibia, thus optimising exposure. For visitors, the ICT EXPO offers an array of attractions ranging from gaining knowledge to procuring the latest available products and services."

The ICT EXPO will be held under the theme: "˜Visualising the future: Confronting the crisis`, which has been borrowed from the Telecom Namibia ICT Summit held in July 2009.

"With partners like Telecom Namibia, the ICT EXPO will only grow from strength to strength and the synergies that hopefully will evolve from visualising the future, a strong enough stakeholder basis will emerge to confront any crisis that needs to be dealt with," Schmidt said.

HERE`S N$50,000 from Telecom Namibia to the flood victims in the north of the country. In addition to financial donation, the company earlier gave seven Switch handsets each with N$750 worth of airtime for use by those coordinating the relief efforts.

The country`s telecommunication company stepped out with the donation this morning.

The assistance has been channelled through the National Disaster Relief Fund under the aegis of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Dr Libertine Amathila, which has been coordinating the distribution of relief supplies to victims since the floods hit in early March.

This continuing natural disaster has resulted in the deaths of at least 92 people, caused massive damage to land and property and displaced thousands of people.

The company`s senior manager for corporate communications and public relations Oiva Angula said they were pleased to assist in this small way.

`Care is one of our values and we hope our donation will help the many Namibians who are displaced by the floods in the north,` Mr Angula said.

`Remember, we are also victims of floods,` he said in reference to damage caused by the floods to the company`s underground cable infrastructure in some of the affected areas.

`We are committed to the Namibia and its people and hope this aid will give some comfort to those affected during this difficult time,` he said

Mr Angula said Telecom is committed to helping those in disaster situations.

`When some communities were affected with severe flooding in the northern regions last year, Telecom donated N$150,000 towards the relief efforts there.`

Upon receiving the donation, the Deputy Premier thanked Telecom Namibia for its continuous assistance to flood victims. Dr Amathila said that that it was noble to see local companies standing together [with the communities] during a time of a natural disaster.

`Telecom Namibia has always been with us. Last year we got N$150 000 and it is just wonderful that our own companies are coming forward. It shows that we as Namibians stand together when it comes to disasters,` she said.

The Deputy Premier said Telecom Namibia`s donation will go towards the clean up efforts to support the people in the re-building of the homes and infrastructure in worst affected areas.

Telecom staff at Walvis Bay donated 30 boxes x 50 canned fish to the flood victims on 1 April 2009.