Tech

Microsoft includes 13 new African languages to its translator service

Published

2 years ago

March 14, 2023

Global tech giants, Microsoft, has added 13 new African languages to its Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services Translator, which will allow text and documents to be translated to and from the languages across its entire ecosystem of products and services.

According to Wael Elkabbany, General Manager, Microsoft Africa Regional Cluster, the new languages include Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba,chiShona, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Luganda, Nyanja, Rundi, Sesotho, Sesotho sa Leboa, Setswana and Xhosa.

The addition of the new African languages will bring the total number of languages in the Microsoft ecosystem to 124, after the addition of Somali and Zulu in 2022.

Elkabbany said on Tuesday the addition is part of “Microsoft’s steps toward ensuring expanded language support for millions of people in Africa and around the world.”

“It is transformative when we can empower our communities across the continent to do and achieve more, and even more so when they can do it in their own language,” he said.

“We continue to build meaningful cognitive products and services that improve accessibility and break down the language barrier between people and cultures all over the world,” he added.

“By using translator, people and organizations can add African languages’ text translation to apps, websites, workflows, and tools; or use Translator’s Document Translation feature to translate entire documents, or volumes of documents, in a variety of different file formats preserving their original formatting.”

“They can also use Translator with Cognitive Services such as Speech or Computer Vision to add additional capabilities such as speech-to-text and image translation into their apps.”

“Educators can create a more inclusive classroom for both students and parents with live captioning and cross-language understanding,” Elkabbany said.

Click to comment

Tech

Ghana partners with The Gambia to provide free roaming services

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghana and The Gambia are in the process of launching free roaming services that will enhance a West African connectivity.

The plan which is a joint initiative of the Ghana Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and The Gambian National Communications Authority (NCA) will see mobile users in both countries avoiding extra charges for calls, texts, and data, which in turn, is expected to boost trade, tourism, and economic integration across borders.

The collaboration, according to a joint statement by the two bodies, aligns with the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) broader push for seamless regional communication.

“Ghana and The Gambia are forging new paths in West Africa’s digital landscape, implementing a free-roaming initiative,” the statement said.

“This move strengthens regional connectivity while highlighting the role of technological collaboration in fostering economic integration. The initiative enables mobile users travelling between the two nations to make calls, send messages, and use data services without additional roaming fees.”

It further noted that by reducing these costs, the program aligns with the ECOWAS Free Roaming Initiative, which seeks to eliminate barriers to communication across member states.

“It is a boost for trade and travel as the free roaming plan is expected to spur economic activities by streamlining cross-border communication.

“Businesses and individuals travelling between Ghana and The Gambia can now stay connected without worrying about exorbitant charges, facilitating smoother transactions and personal interactions. The initiative is also expected to attract more tourists by ensuring seamless digital access for visitors.

“This collaboration marks another milestone in Ghana’s commitment to expanding digital connectivity, following Ghana’s successful implementation of similar agreements with Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin, with talks of possible roaming partnerships with Liberia.

“By focusing on digital integration, Ghana and The Gambia demonstrate the power of technology to bridge gaps between countries. This step also serves as a model for other West African nations to join the free-roaming framework, contributing to the larger goal of a connected and economically integrated region,” it added.

Tech

Tanzania to host 6th Ocean Innovation Africa summit in February

Published

2 days ago

November 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has been selected to host the sixth edition of the Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA) summit from February 24-28, 2025, as a flagship event within Regenerative Ocean Week.

The Ocean Innovation Africa is set to be Africa’s most significant platform for Ocean Innovation conservation, and sustainable development in the blue economy. OIA2025 will be co-organised with leading partners, including IUCN, GIZ, OceanHub Africa, Catalyze and the Ocean-Climate Platform.

With the theme, “Science-to-Solution”, the Regenerative Ocean Week will present a line-up of sessions designed to bridge the gap between scientific research, business innovation, policy, and community engagement.

According to the organizers of the event, it will bring together African ocean innovators, investors, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to explore practical solutions that can be applied across the continent.

“These include the OIA Pitch Competition, which is a platform for Africa-based startups and entrepreneurs to showcase breakthrough ideas in ocean-impact solutions, allowing them to connect with investors and industry leaders and emphasizing Africa’s role in driving sustainable ocean initiatives,” the organizers said in a statement.