TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IMPROVATE, which connects between Israeli technology companies and governments, held its Communication Africa 2021 conference in collaboration with Spacecom, a satellite communication provider, the owners and operators of the Amos satellites fleet. Spacecom specializes in advanced communication solutions and provides a wide range of satellite-based communication services throughout Africa, Middle- east and Europe.
The conference heard from government ministers and senior officials about the significant challenges faced by African nations in deploying nationwide government services and the importance of communications networks and connectivity as an enabler.
The new services presented by Spacecom meet all the needs raised by the participants and provide African countries with full internet and communications coverage, enabling acceleration of state development, and improving services provided to citizens in all fields of life.
Spacecom CEO Mr. Dan Zajicek unveiled at the conference two new advanced services for states, the NationSAT and the DCP (Digital Community Platform) which are based on the exclusive capabilities of the Amos-17 satellite and provide most sub-Saharan African countries with complete nationwide coverage, irrespective of location, and financing models that enable the immediate and long-term provision of services.
Keynote speaker, the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, said that properly deployed satellite communication can be absolutely transformative for Africa. "I think that there will be enormous interest in Africa in how this satellite technology can help with connectivity and communication." Blair said that Africa provides huge opportunities for the Israeli tech sector, "It is an opportunity for Israel to showcase what it can do".
IMPROVATE Founder and chair Irina Nevzlin: "Advanced communications solutions allow countries with large land areas to get connected in ways which would not be possible with conventional grids. As we know, with this new way of communication comes connectivity, and with connectivity comes opportunity. Our goal at IMPROVATE is to help companies turn opportunity into reality."
Participating in the conference were ministers, deputy minister, directors general of government ministries, regulators, senior executives from the African space industry, ambassadors and investors from a number of African countries, including Mali, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania and South Sudan. On the Israeli side, the conference was attended by the senior management of Spacecom, headed by its CEO, Mr. Dan Zajicek, as well as the former minister of communications, MK Yoaz Hendel.
Spacecom CEO Mr. Dan Zajicek said: "The communications that we provide are the broadest foundation for the development and progress of African nations. Spacecom has set a goal that every person in Africa will be able to connect to the internet and benefit from government services. We have made investments and we have deployed infrastructure; we have changed the equation. The challenge now is not necessarily a technological one but is also a question of decision making."
Mr. Aviv Ronai. VP Marketing & Product at NovelSat, which provides content connectivity solutions for video broadcast and broadband connectivity, said: "Connectivity is essential to remote areas and is an enabler of social growth throughout Africa. Satellite is the only thing that can provide s connectivity over such large areas."
Mr. Arie SznajHead of International Finance, Bank Leumi, said that Leumi has seen a major shift of projects it finances toward Africa over the past decade. "We believe that satellite telecom and internet services will encourage the development of human capital and economic growth in countries where satellite connections are implemented. Leumi as a financial institution sees great importance in assisting its clients in these fields."
IMPROVATE CEO Ms. Ronit Hasin Hochman: "The Amos satellite fleet paints the globe blue and white and now enables African countries as well to benefit from advanced communications that improve all areas of life. IMPROVATE is proud to help bring space technologies to Africa."
Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEOgKYacj5A
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1433171/IMPROVATE_Tony_Blair.jpg
