AFRICA

SA company makes pledge: only in Africa
Engen Petroleum Ltd, the South African refined petroleum products market leader (27%), has made a remarkable promise to Africa - to operate only on the continent.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Digital migration on track
[Michael Appel] The Department of Communication (DOCs) has responded to media reports criticising the finalisation of a policy framework for the digitisation of broadcasting, assuring that things are on track.

AFRICA

Lesotho hosts trade ministers
Trade Ministers from the 50-strong group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) from around the globe, including 34 African countries, jet into Maseru, Lesotho's capital, from Wednesday to Friday this week to discuss key World Trade Organisation issues.

Starfish launches new mobile services with Vodacom Tanzania - Starfish Mobile
Vodacom Tanzania has appointed Starfish Mobile East Africa, a division of Starfish Mobile International, as its partner content aggregator to provide and manage digital content services to Vodacom customers. The deal, which will endure for two years, was concluded after a thorough and lengthy tender process.

Egyptian Information Minister bans four foreign newspapers
On 19 February 2008, the Egyptian government placed a ban on four foreign newspapers that reprinted some of the cartoons that were published by 17 Danish newspapers on 13 February in a show of solidarity on the issue of freedom of expression.

SOUTH AFRICA

UK proposes piracy sanctions for ISPs
The Recording Industry Association of America and its international cousins are cheering this morning after the British government unveiled a proposal that would Internet service providers to take explicit steps towards curbing illegal downloading or they face legal sanctions.

EAST AFRICA

New player in East African terrestrial TV arena
CNBC Africa has secured a major terrestrial television distribution deal in East Africa, giving the 24-hour business news channel free-to-air coverage to an audience of more than 10 million people in and around Nairobi in Kenya.

Privately-owned Cameroonian TV station under suspension
On 21 February 2008, Cameroon's Communication Minister, Emmanuel Béyiyi Bi Essam, issued an order for the suspension of Equinoxe TV. The order was purportedly issued on the grounds that its owner, Séverin Tchounkeu, had not paid the required licence bond of 100 millions CFA francs (approx. 150,000 euros) and was therefore operating illegally.