Information Society Watch

August 14, 2006, Economic Times

A recent collaboration between India and the African Union under the aegis of the Pan-African E-network Project aimed at developing ICT infrastructure across the African continent holds significant promise. Under the initiative, India will donate $1bn to connect 53 African countries through a satellite and fibre optic network to promote tele-medicine and tele-education programmes. The main objective of the tele-medicine network will be to share the knowledge of Indian medical professionals with their African counterparts through online training programmes for nurses, paramedical staff and other health workers. It will be interesting to monitor whether India’s push for South-to-South co-operation will succeed in improving perceptions of foreign education activity in Africa, and in achieving both the philanthropic and economic aims behind transnational provision. (Adapted from author)

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