AFRICAN UNION POLICY MAKERS NOW READY TO BE AGENTS OF CHANGE IN   AFRICA’S TRANSFORMATION TO A KNOWLEDGE BASED SOCIETY

Addis Ababa, 8 July 2013 - The African Leadership in ICT Course is an African Union initiative, endorsed by the Conference of Ministers responsible for Communication Information Technologies (CITMC), supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and implemented by the Global e-Schools and Community Initiative.

As the African Union continues to integrate into the global economy which is an increasingly information and knowledge based economy, the African Leadership in ICT Course is one of the AU initiatives aimed at contributing to the development of sustainable Knowledge Societies in Africa.

One hundred and thirty (130) public sector officials from a cross-section of Ministries in Eastern and Southern Africa received Professional Development Certificates on African Leadership in ICT and Knowledge Society Development during a Certificate Award Ceremony held on Friday, July 5^th at the Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort in Kenya.

The Ceremony was presided over by a Representative of the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Republic of Kenya, H.E. The Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission, H.E. The Ambassador of Finland to the Republic of Kenya, , President of Dublin City University (Ireland) and Chief Executive Officer of the Global e-Schools and Community Initiative.

Following the first Eighty Three (83) graduates that graduated on 29^th August 2012 at the African Union Commission Headquarters in Ethiopia, this second certificate award ceremony of the African Leadership in ICT course brings the total number of graduates to Two Hundred and Thirteen (213) from the following Twelve (12) Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa:

Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia,

The second phase of the African Leadership in ICT Course will cover all the AU Regions.