Rwanda to host global tech forum

Rwanda is set to host another global technology forum, two years after the last one held in October 2013, a meeting aimed to discuss Africa's digital revolution.

The 'Transform Africa 2015' summit, due on October 19-21, will be co-hosted by Rwanda President Paul Kagame and Houlin Zhao Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The three-day high level event to be held under the theme, "Accelerating Digital Innovation," will discuss how to nurture Africa's digital talent and foster cross border entrepreneurship.

It will review the progress accomplished over the last two years since the first Summit, based on Smart Africa Manifesto and offer a platform for dialogue between governments and the private sector on technologies for socioeconomic transformation opportunities for Africa.

Transform Africa 2015 main components include, Leaders' Summit, Smart Africa Board and Steering Committee, according to a statement from the organizing committee of the meeting.

Innovation, policy, private sector, broadband, advocacy and sustainable development will be part of the deliberations during the forum.

"Transform Africa 2015 events will seek to network African entrepreneurs with well-advanced global companies for the innovations' progress. The meeting will recognize exemplary innovations that are excelling in using technology to drive socioeconomic transformation," reads part of the communique.

The conference will gather heads of states from several African countries, heads of Smart Africa organizations, delegates from UN Broadband Commission on digital Development, technology chief executives, technology experts and young innovators from a cross Africa and beyond.

It will also provide a platform to raise awareness of the limitless potential for women empowerment through technology.

"Transform Africa 2015 will provide space for young innovators from Africa and beyond to showcase their potential/innovations. It will also focus on devising new ways to deliver on Smart Africa," Said Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Rwanda Minister of youth and ICT.

The meeting is expected to attract more than 2500 local, regional and international participants to shape Africa's digital transformation agenda.

Nsengimana noted that Rwanda's reputation and leadership position in the development of ICT makes it an ideal host for such an important event.

The post genocide nation is among a few countries in Africa that have rolled out a high-speed 4G broadband network that delivers download speed of up to 100 Megabytes per second.

In 2013, Rwanda and ITU co-hosted the Transform Africa Summit, which saw the birth of Smart Africa Alliance, a platform that is quickly shaping the future of ICT adoption on the continent.

The small Central African nation plans to establish an ICT park that will be a base of technological investments, including training, industries, research and development.

The government targets to have 95 percent of Rwandans connected to internet by 2017.

Rwanda has been ranked among top ten countries in Africa that are most dynamic performers when it comes to Information Communication Technology (ICT) development.

According to the 2015 global ICT report released by the World Economic Forum Rwanda has made considerable improvements to exploit the potential of ICTs to drive social and economic transformation and catch up with more advanced nations. Endit