Top stories from the past two weeks include the operation of the WACS cable, Algerian & Egyptian elections, national ICT days in Cote d’Ivoire, AFRINIC policy meeting in The Gambia, Liberia’s continued planning for ACE cable operation, and 4G for Namibia. East African nations continue to produce the largest share of telecoms/Internet news, but there is plenty happening in smaller nations too.

Updates from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Africa at-large will be posted separately due to the massive volume of links gathered over the past two weeks.

Algeria

• Presidential Party (FLN) Invites Internet … {Echorouk Online}
• NAUSS seminar focuses on electronic media security {Arab News}
• Internet Development: Algeria Telecom works on extending the … {APS.dz}

Botswana

• Gateway links up Botswana; plans links in Malawi, Mauritius {Telecompaper (subscription)}

Cape Verde

• Encouraging Storytelling and Creative Writing {Global Voices}

Cote d’Ivoire

• 26 articles pour comprendre et revivre les JNTIC 2012 {Akendewa}

DRC

• La gestion du dossier fibre optique a terni l’image du régime Kabila {KongoTimes}

Djibouti

• TEAMs plans another cable link to curb losses from cuts {Business Daily Africa}

Egypt

• Egypt: How The Web Is Inspiring Voters Ahead Of The Presidential Election {Sky News}
• UTS Global Science Internet Extends Link to Egypt {Phys.Org (press release)}
• Trio of GBI developments reported {TeleGeography}
• Cairo flash mob met with public disdain, suspicion {Ahram Online}

Ethiopia

• Meles Blames Corruption on Foreign Investors {VOA News}
• Internet repression in Ethiopia {ITWeb Africa}
• Muslims launch campaign on the Internet for religious … {Wikinoticia}

Gabon

• Project: Central African Backbone-APL – Gabon … {TMC}

Gambia

• Govt Lauded for Prioritising IT {AllAfrica.com}
• Papa Leigh : No 4G in Gambia {Daily News}
• Afrinic Public Policy Meeting Opens {AllAfrica.com}

Ghana

• Huawei to launch its branded devices in Ghana this year {GhanaWeb}
• ICT Training Center At Agbogba inaugurated {GhanaWeb}
• Ghanaian spearheads establishment of Africa {GhanaWeb}
• Pupils Improve Academic Performance Through Internet … {ModernGhana}
• Google Blog: Supporting Innovation in African News {NewsFactor Network}
• e-Waste Challenges? Solutions? See Video from Ghana {DiploInternetGovernance}
• Over 360 dormant post offices to be turned into ICT centres {Myjoyonline.com}
• NCR commends Ghanaian women, girls in telecom/ICT sector {Vibe Ghana}
• Vodafone Takes Over Yahoo Ghana Home Page {Daily Guide}
• tiGO Launches Internet Prepaid Plans {Daily Graphic}
• Two Ghanaian IT Start Ups named in Forbes Africa Top 20 List {Myjoyonline.com}

Lesotho

• Lesotho looks to ICTs, manufacturing to escape poverty {Telecentre.org}

Liberia

• The Impact of a National Backbone Network on Affordable Broadband Services in … {Liberian Daily Observer}
• Liberia ACE link officially opened {Biztech Africa}
• Liberian Government Announces High-Speed Internet Plans {Computer.org}

Libya

• Building Libya {IPS News}

Malawi

• President Banda unveils Malawi’s ICT Vision {Biztech Africa}
• MTL launches Wimax, unveils MiNET {BiztechAfrica}

Morocco

• Fixed And Mobile Phones Subscribers Reach 40 Million In Morocco … {Maroc.ma}
• Maroc Annonces: Pioneering Online Classified Ads in Morocco … {Wamda.com}
• Morocco to auction 4G licences in 2012 – report {Reuters Africa}

Mozambique

• Govt to repeal oppressive media law {Bizcommunity.com}
• Mozambique’s Movitel to change ICT landscape {CAJ News Agency}
• Viettel launches network in Africa {Viet Nam News}

Namibia

• Telecom Namibia-Leo merger gets first approval {Biztech Africa}
• MTC launches 4G cellular telephony {The Namibian}

Niger

• Restoration of broadband Internet outage after a three-month … {Balancing Act}

Rwanda

• Country Focus: Rwanda moving towards a digital, connected future {IT News Africa}
• Africa calls for harmonised policies on submarine cables {The New Times}
• MTN Donates Computer Lab to Rusizi School {AllAfrica.com}
• Social Media, Networking, and African Women {Beth Kanter}
• Smartphones to the Rescue in Disaster Management {Balancing Act}
• A Culture of Data Use in Rwanda, One Click Away {Futures Group}

Sierra Leone

• “78% of WARCIP project completed” Information Minister {Awoko}
• Sierra Leone Deputy Minister Re-echoes President Koroma {Awareness Times}
• Does this Sierra Leone Government Understand what ICT is? {Awareness Times}

Somalia

• Telecoms: Somalia {SomaliaReport}
• War-torn Somalia stages TEDx conference {Bangkok Post}

South Sudan

• Website helps refugees raise money for South Sudan {WSLS}

Sudan

• Sudan Wins Prize for Innovating Internet Digital Transistor {Sudan Vision}

Swaziland

• SD has 63 700 facebookers {Times of Swaziland}
• Facebook in Swaziland: The Stats {Swazi Media Commentary}

Tanzania

• How Arusha spearheaded Tanzania {Daily News}
• Zantel unveils 3G/3.5G for Zanzibar {TeleGeography}
• $1m fibre-optic network for Tanzania cities {East African}
• Airtel Tanzania’s super launch to the youth {IT News Africa}
• Tanzania mobile users up 22% {Post (subscription)}

Tunisia

• Tunisia’s Fragile Internet Freedom {DC4MF.org}
• Maghreb startup initiative seeks out Tunisia {HumanIPO}
• Wikileaks’ Julian Assange Interviews Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki {WikiLeaks Forum}

Uganda

• Internet cable contractors faulted {Independent.co.ug}
• The Telecom Wars Have Begun {AllAfrica.com}
• ICT training: schools plod through shortages {The Observer}
• M-Cash Uganda in venture to initiate e-bank scheme {IT News Africa}
• Growing internet usage spurs innovations {Daily Monitor}
• More Ugandans to acquire PCs following Intel and Orange deal {HumanIPO}
• Ugandan watchdog funds rural ICT community scheme in Arua {Telecompaper (subscription)}
• Rural ICT in Uganda {Bikya Masr}
• ICT4Democracy in East Africa: April 2012 News {ICT4Democracy}
• Solving Uganda {Daily Monitor}

Zambia

• Universal access to all a possibility – ZICTA {Zambia Daily Mail}
• ‘Women should grip new tech’ {Times of Zambia}

Zimbabwe

• Zimbabwean launches Whenpages, an event discovery {Technology Zimbabwe}
• Telecel mobile broadband prices now the lowest in Zimbabwe {Technology Zimbabwe}
• Internet-based phones vs telecoms {AllVoIPNews}