[open-government] Africa Open Data Conference, Sept. 1-3 in Tanzania

Fri Jun 5 16:07:58 UTC 2015

(apologies for cross-posting)

FYI, the first Africa Open Data Conference will be hosted Sept. 1-3, 2015,
by the Government of Tanzania and organized by the World Bank and IBM.
Contact Jeanne Holm or Steven Adler (through the Meetup group) for more
information or to offer feedback and suggestions.

More info: http://www.meetup.com/Africa-Open-Data/events/222499177/

Brochure:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6fLmeP8J372S1BMekYtelBMRkk/view?usp=sharing

***
>From the conference organizers:
Open Data is a new public resource that is transforming communities and
nations across the world.  It is driving innovation, investment, and job
growth; revolutionizing transportation, health, education, and agriculture,
civic engagement, IT innovation, and government transformation.

• Cities are using Open Data to rationalize public transport, reducing
costs and improving services.

• Nations are publishing raw weather and census data, providing business
with access to new markets and just-in-time inventory forecasting based on
weather patterns.

• Governments are leveraging Open Data to increase internal information
sharing, improve supply chain efficiency, reduce regulatory burdens, and
increase tax efficiency.

• Farms are taking advantage of Satellite Open Data to drive more
agricultural yield, with less water, fertilizer, and pesticides, with
precision agriculture.

• Banks, Insurers, and many other industries are using Open Data to find
and validate business opportunities and risks, invest in infrastructure,
and improve financial reporting.

• Communities are using cloud computing and low cost Open Data portals to
collect information and develop new apps that solve local problems,
communicate needs and issues, preserve languages and culture, improve
education and social integration.

Africa is ready for Open Data, African-owned - solving African problems
with African innovations.

This conference is designed to bring together African governments,
businesses, and communities with international aid organizations,
foundations, and other interested parties to improve local, national, and
regional investment, growth and economic development.

The goal is to create Open Data awareness and demand across the continent
by brainstorming new development opportunities in x-functional hands-on
workshops and round-table discussions that result in funding proposals and
pilots at the end of the conference.

We will have four pre-conference Open Data workshops/Jams/and Hackathons on
Health, Education, Water, and Agriculture.  These same four subjects will
continue as themes and tracks throughout the even as we explore Industry
needs, capabilities, and international use cases for Open Data that drives
economic growth and national prosperity.

We are working with many partners:

- The World Bank

- IBM

- Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition Program (GODAN)

- International Development Resource Council

- The Open Knowledge Foundation

- The Open Data Institute

- Code for Africa

- The Open Government Partnership

The dates are not 100% final but there is little time to spare.  We are
looking for speakers and contributors, innovators and thought leaders,
foundations and aid organizations, businesses and sponsors, from across
Africa and around the world.

This is the first Africa Open Data Conference hosted in Africa, and we are
grateful for the support, leadership, and vision of the President of
Tanzania, the World Bank, and IBM.

Please join us as we work together to Develop Africa with Open Data.

http://www.meetup.com/Africa-Open-Data/events/222499177/

-- 

*Sarah A. Welsh*

Senior Program Assistant, Governance

National Democratic Institute for International Affairs

455 Massachusetts Ave, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20001

Tel:  (202) 728-5444     E-Mail: swelsh at ndi.org     Skype: sarah.a.welsh

<http://www.ndi.org>    <http://www.openingparliament.org>
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