Egypt to host ITU TELECOM AFRICA 2008

The venue will be the Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Centre (CICC).

The African ICT sector has grown steadily in a number of core areas such as mobile, which has increased at twice the global rate over the past five years. Mobile phones have now surpassed fixed line telephone access on the continent; the growth fuelled by factors such as market liberalization and increased levels of national and international competition. Broadband, although still in its infancy, is expected to make the connectivity leap across Africa, leading to increased convergence and migration to next-generation networks.

"AFRICA 2008 will bring the region's top names together to focus on the major issues relating to ICT expansion across Africa," said Dr Hamadoun Touré, ITU Secretary General.

"Cairo is a key business hub. It is an ideal vantage point to observe all the unfolding trends as well as the wealth of opportunities that this exciting region has to offer. AFRICA 2008 will be a critical milestone for the African ICT sector, offering a unique platform for the most innovative minds, industry and new technologies to make the right connections."

Dr Tarek Kamel, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt, said, "Hosting ITU TELECOM AFRICA 2008 is an honor we will carry through with pride to outdo our previous success in 2004. Egypt welcomes Africa once again and vows to create a congruous milieu that brings together all stakeholders of the industry from all over the world to witness Africa's progress and potential in ICT." Dr Kamel added, "The faith bestowed upon us by ITU will pay off in what will be one of the most vibrant TELECOM events ever held."

"The ITU TELECOM events have consistently proven their ability to bring authoritative representatives of national governments, regulators, thought leaders and senior executives from the ICT sector under one roof for debate, dialogue and to explore growth opportunities in the ICT sector," said Mr Reza Jafari, Chairman and Managing Director, NeuStar International and Chairman of the ITU TELECOM Board of Directors. "I am confident that ITU TELECOM AFRICA 2008 will be no exception and a key ICT event for the entire region. I very much look forward to being a part of this event in Egypt and exploring many opportunities of mutual benefit and interest."

The TELECOM AFRICA 2008 Exhibition will showcase the latest ICT innovations while a high-level Forum will explore and debate areas central to the growth of the African telecommunication industry. ITU TELECOM AFRICA will be the key ICT event for the region in 2008. It will bring together top names in Africa as well as global leaders from both government and industry to explore growth and investment opportunities offered by the African ICT sector.