The Commonwealth African Rural Connectivity Initiative (COMARCI) of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) aims to improve African rural communities’ access to ICT and education, health, jobs and agricultural information by facilitating sustainable and innovative solutions for ICT access.

Several In-Country capacity building workshops have been successfully organised this year in Nigeria and Sierra Leone. These events are based on the idea that access to information is as a basic human right, alongside access to potable water, food, basic healthcare and primary education. There is ample evidence to prove how information and communication technologies (ICTs) are being leveraged around the world to alleviate poverty and drive socio-economic growth.

The next Workshop is taking place in Ghana on August 9-13, 2010 and it is designed to bring together stakeholders from both the public and the private sectors to promote rural connectivity.