Business executives, e-learning specialists, cooperatives and journalists from InWEnt-networks in Africa and Asia showcase their solutions to ICT for development at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis from 15 to 19 November 2005. InWEnt – Capacity Building International from Germany organizes two exhibition stands and two parallel events at the World Summit.

How can Information- and Communication Technologies (ICTs) contribute to business development, enhanced learning, better journalism, and empowerment of small economic entities in developing countries? ICT networks partnering with InWEnt will provide answers to such questions at the second phase of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS II). The World Summit and exhibition will be held from 15 to 19 November in Tunis, Tunisia and are expected to attract some 40.000 participants from UN agencies, governments, the private sector and civil society. The main focus is on strategies to bridge the digital divide and harness the power of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to spur progress towards human development and poverty eradication.

Supported by InWEnt – Capacity Building International from Germany, practitioners from the South will exhibit three innovative ICT networks at stand number 1125 of the main ICT4All exhibition: it@ab - The Southern African Network on “Information Technology in African Business”, it@coops - Information Technology for Southeast Asian cooperatives and Teaching and the AIDS Pandemic - A blended learning course for teacher educators in Africa.

In addition, InWEnt - Capacity Building International, will present all of its corporate ICT projects and expertise at the German stand at WSIS pavilion on ‘German Partnership for ICT Challenges - Worldwide’ (No. 2413). In the field of ICT for development, InWEnt notably provides IT-training, develops e-learning systems, contents & capacities and fosters e-business opportunities, open source solutions and virtual cooperation (see below for an overview of flagship projects). On three occasions, InWEnt and its partners will hold introductory presentations on concrete projects in the fields of ICT for Business Development (it@ab), ICT for Education (HIV/AIDS Prevention in Southern Africa) and ICT for Rural Development (it@coops) at the German stand (see below for date and time).

In addition, InWEnt is co-organizing two official parallel events at WSIS II. The first one is a panel discussion on “How does the Internet change Journalism?” together with the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA). The second parallel event is organized by the United Nations University International Institute for Software Technology (UNU-IIST) on “Electronic governance in developing countries” (event No 34) – InWEnt and GTZ from Germany are associated as sponsoring and presenting organizations.


Journalists are cordially invited to visit us at the stands, presentations and parallel events. A general press conference of the German stand will be held on November 16th from 10.00 to 10:45 at the Press Interview Room. In addition, German activities in the field of ICT for development will be presented to journalists on November 16th from 17.00 to 17:30 at the German Pavilion, Stand No. 2413 (with snacks and drinks). Also feel free to contact us in advance for any other specific media inquiry, for contact details see below.