Tech

Equitorial Guinea accuses French telecoms operator, Orange SA, of giving away its domain name

Published

2 years ago

January 29, 2023

Equatorial Guinea has accused French telecoms giant, Orange SA, of “fraudulently” giving out its “.gq” domain name to the Netherlands, thus forcing the African country’s institutions to pay to use the domain.

The country’s Vice President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, who made the accusations on Saturday, said officials in Equatorial Guinea had “discovered that the French from the Orange company engaged in fraudulent manipulation by ceding our domain .gq to the Dutch”.

The .gq domain name, according to local media, was launched in 1997 by Equatorial Guinean mobile operator, Getesa, but was reported to be prone to spam, phishing and other malicious use.

While speaking at a press conference, Nguema said:

“Now, we have to pay them to use our own domain, which makes it challenging to set up an institutional website with .gq for the country,” he said at a press conference.

“What have we done to France for it to plunder African countries in this manner? We are once again hindered by their trickery. The West should stop taking advantage of Africa,” he added.

This is not the first time the son of long-serving President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has accused European countries of various infractions in his country.

He has previously accused the United States, Spain and France of interfering in his country’s internal affairs.

In one of such instances, a French court in 2020, fined him €30 million for embezzling public funds, giving him a suspended jail term and ordering the confiscation of his assets.

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Tech

Ghana partners with The Gambia to provide free roaming services

Published

14 hours 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.