WACREN

This strong support of WACREN is supplemented by financial support from the French players RENATER, CIRAD and IRD (two French research organizations and members of RENATER present in West Africa) to accelerate the participation of WACREN in the "AfricaConnect " project funded by the European Commission.

RENATER is partnering with WACREN (West and Central African Research and Education Network) since 2011, when the first cooperation agreement between WACREN and RENATER / CIRAD / IRD was signed, with the aim to provide technical, scientific and organizational expertise for the establishment of research and education networks in this region.

By signing this new agreement for financial partnership, RENATER confirms its willingness to work with the WACREN network for its interconnection in one hand, with the Eastern and Southern African networks of the UbuntuNet Alliance especially in the framework of the "AfricaConnect", and secondly, beyond the African continent, for joining the other components of the "Global Research Village" such as GEANT in Europe.

Patrick Donath, director of RENATER explains that "RENATER’s mission is also to help  West and Central Africa to bridge the digital divide by bringing its network expertise to promote the development of science, education and North / in South cooperation within the African continent. "

Dr Boubakar Barry, CEO of WACREN: "This gesture of RENATER, CIRAD and IRD is much appreciated by the WACREN community. It once again demonstrates the sincerity of the cooperation with WACREN since 2011 and which has already been expressed through several joint activities. We believe that the best is yet to come, in the best interests and in the service of our communities "

The West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN) and the UbuntuNet Alliance for Research and Education Networking, the regional Research and Education Networking organization for Eastern and Southern Africa, have signed an agreement to adopt the Africa Training Initiative (ATI),  a programme that is highly expected to foster accelerated development of the Internet across the African continent.

The ATI is an independent community initiative developed and previously operated by Eko-Konnect, a cluster of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) in the Lagos area.  

Apart from contributing to the development of the Internet in Africa, the ATI  which will be facilitated and supported through the NREN members, will also promote the  adoption of best practices in building and protecting the Internet as well as fostering the emergence of a productive environment for the growing community of African users.