[AfrICANN-discuss] Press Release: Strengthening the Internet Infrastructure for Research & Education

[Lillian O. Sharpley]

For Immediate Release

http://www.afrinic.net/press_release_MOU_300310.htm


     "Strengthening the Internet Infrastructure for Research & Education "

In recognition of the invaluable potential of Research and Education
Institutions in the African region and to further Internet development
processes, the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the African Network
Information Centre (AfriNIC), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
support the membership cost of registration for Internet Protocol (IP) resources
through AfriNIC. In this agreement, which is now effective, the AAU will cover
the remaining 50% of the setup and first year membership fees (up to a maximum
of $5,000 USD per member) for eligible African Academic and Research
institutions, as well as Research and Education Networks (RENs) that request IP
address resources. These members will then have to make provisions for
subsequent year membership fees.

"IP address allocations must be considered critical for universities’
infrastructure in order to improve inter-campus communications as well as
increase information sharing for a productive and efficient use of the Internet
as a learning tool and for research and development" says Dr. Boubakar Barry,
Coordinator, Research and Education Networking Unit, AAU.

This incentive builds on the already existing and permanent benefit that AAU
members and other African educational and research institutions enjoy, which is
a 50% discount offered by AfriNIC for their annual membership fees for IP Number
resource allocations or assignments.

"This new agreement between AAU and AfriNIC is expected to make African
universities and academic institutions more visible on the Internet as they can
significantly decrease the use of NAT by using publicly routable IP address.
Currently, many universities have hundreds of computers and thousands of student
devices behind Network or Port Address Translation (NAT/PAT). Universities in
our region should lead our effort to fight the myth of NAT and restore the
Internet's end-to-end paradigm. Deploying an infrastructure based on public IP
addresses is also a key factor for a smooth transition to IPv6 in such a campus
environment" says Mr. Adiel Akplogan, CEO, AfriNIC.

The AAU and AfriNIC wish to thank TENET and its FRENIA program for providing the
first grant that allowed the start of this initiative. There are more ongoing
discussions to increasing AfriNIC’s training activities within academic
institutions. Currently, only 18 countries in the African region have at least
one university that has its own assignment/allocation. Additionally, allocations
to Education Networks represents six percent (6%) of the total allocation in the
African region, with South Africa having 82% of these (most of which are legacy
assignments), followed by Kenya and Mozambique, both having four percent (4%),
then Egypt with three percent (3%).

For further information please contact renu[at]aau.org and/or
contact[at]afrinic.net. Additional information on the application process can be
obtained at http://www.aau.org/announce/detail.htm?ai=251

Additional information about benefits of becoming an AfriNIC member or about the
incentives for universities and academic institutions can be found at
http://www.afrinic.net/projects/afrinic_aau.htm.

The Association of African Universities (AAU) is the apex organisation and forum
for consultation, exchange of information and cooperation among institutions of
higher education in Africa. For additional information, visit www.aau.net.

The African Network Information Center (AfriNIC) is the Regional Internet
Registry (RIR) for Africa, responsible for the distribution and management of
Internet number resources throughout the African region.

Contact: Lillian Sharpley
Communications Area Manager
press at afrinic.net
AfriNIC
www.afrinic.net