<div dir="ltr"><div style="line-height:16.768px"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">I feel the same way, Michael. I posted on the #FastAfrica listserv, when the idea for this press release was floated, that I think it would be more meaningful and a better use of resources if Web We Want was to assemble a willing coalition of African leaders who understood how vital the Internet is in today's digitally-enabled society. I said it wouldn't need to be every leader on the continent, but a declaration from even two or three recognising the importance of the Internet and committing to improving infrastructure would be a better output. To their credit - after the mixed response from the community and Web Foundation staff - they decided against proceeding with the media release en mass. So aside from in this listserv, I don't think you'll find it anywhere… The Web Foundation is also sending a delegation this week to Banjul to meet with the Commission of the African Union to try to draw some attention to issues re: poor connectivity.</font></div><div style="line-height:16.768px"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:16.768px"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Ayden</font></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Apr 2, 2016 at 11:43 AM, Michael Oghia <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mike.oghia@gmail.com" target="_blank">mike.oghia@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><p dir="ltr">The original press release is indicative of why I loathe April Fool's Day.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Despair not; there are many initiatives, individuals, and organizations working hard in many parts of Africa to realize better connectivity that offer hope.</p><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
<p dir="ltr">-Michael</p></font></span><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5">
<div class="gmail_quote">On Apr 2, 2016 12:07 AM, "Olévié Kouami" <<a href="mailto:olivierkouami@gmail.com" target="_blank">olivierkouami@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Dear Enrique,<br><br></div>IMHO the situation in Liberia is not yet a disaster.<br></div>It's a question of Education. I<br></div>For me Education is different from Culture.<br></div>IMHO, we need to integrate Culture into Education for the good of our humanity. But we can acquire Education from any part of the world.<br></div><br><br></div>My 2 cents,<br></div>Warm regards<br></div>-Olévié-<br><br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">2016-04-01 18:02 GMT+01:00 Enrique Chaparro <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:echaparro@vialibre.org.ar" target="_blank">echaparro@vialibre.org.ar</a>></span>:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Remmy, Olévié,<br>
<br>
Slightly offtopic, but since we talk about Africa, something that,<br>
disgracefully, is not an April 1st joke: the privatisation of Liberia's<br>
elementary education system.<br>
<a href="http://m.mgafrica.com/article/2016-03-31-liberia-plans-to-outsource-its-entire-education-system-to-a-private-company-why-this-is-a-very-big-deal-and-africa-should-pay-attention" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://m.mgafrica.com/article/2016-03-31-liberia-plans-to-outsource-its-entire-education-system-to-a-private-company-why-this-is-a-very-big-deal-and-africa-should-pay-attention</a><br>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><b>Olévié Ayaovi Agbenyo KOUAMI</b><br></div><div><font size="1"><i></i></font></div><div><font size="1"><i>Directeur-Adjoint de O and K IT SOLUTIONS sarl <br>Editeur de logiciels de gestion (PGI/ERP) S.I.G.E. (http://<a href="http://www.oandkit.com" target="_blank">www.oandkit.com</a>)<br></i></font></div><div><font size="1"><i>Président/CEO de l'INTIC4DEV (Institut des TIC pour le développement) <a href="http://www.intic4dev.org" target="_blank">http://www.intic4dev.org</a> <br></i></font></div><div><font size="1"><i>Secrétaire Général de l'ESTETIC - Association Togolaise des professionnels des TIC (<a href="http://www.estetic.tg" target="_blank">http://www.estetic.tg</a>)<br></i></font></div><div><font size="1"><i>ICANN-GNSO-NCSG-NPOC Communications Committee Chair (<a href="http://www.npoc.org/" target="_blank">http://www.npoc.org/</a>)<br></i></font><font size="1"><i><span><font size="1">ICANN - Fellow & Alumni<i> (<a href="http://www.icann.org" target="_blank">http://www.icann.org</a>) - </i></font></span>Membre de Internet Society (http://<a href="http://www.isoc.org" target="_blank">www.isoc.org</a>) </i></font></div><div><font size="1"><i></i></font></div><font size="1"><i>Membre fondateur du RIK-Togo (Réseau Interprofessionnel du Karité au Togo)<br></i></font></div><div><font size="1">(<a href="http://www.globalshea.com" target="_blank">http://www.globalshea.com</a>) - </font><span><font size="1"><i>Skype : olevie1 FaceBook : @olivier.kouami.3 Twitter : #oleviek Lomé – Togo</i></font></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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