Wade was reacting to a controversy over the suspension of the attribution process of a TV frequency to “Futurs Medias”, a group owned by the Senegalese music star, Youssou Ndour. “This is my last word on this issue,” President Wade said.

Senegalese Communication Minister, Moustapha Guirassy, who was recently submitting his 2010 budget proposal to Parliament, had explained that “a frequency was assigned to the Futurs Medias Group in March 2008, as a first step of the process.”

“But, the TV is allowed to broadcast only after a contract specifying terms and conditions is signed, the Communication Minister and government spokesman had said, adding that “the document has never been retrieved by the Futurs Medias leaders, who wanted to convert the frequency assignment.”

According to Mr. Guirassy, “the frequency was assigned for a thematic and culturally-oriented TV, but the Futurs Medias Group later re-applied to have the TV changed into a general information channel.”

“In such conditions, the Minister had added, the President cannot sign. When we took office, we were told that the authorization was ready. But later, we agreed with the Group’s leaders that no agreement was signed yet.”

“When you receive a request for change, the process is necessarily delayed. The managers of the media group have told us they wanted to broadcast via a satellite, but the assignment was made for a terrestrial network. It was normal to change the whole process,” he went on.

For their part, the private media group leaders had issued a statement indicating that “the changes in the TV orientation (Cultural to General info) and in the broadcast mode (terrestrial or UHF canal 42 to satellite system) was no excuse for those long delays.”

Source African Press Agency

Net News Publisher

The United States has also provided training for nine AU military technicians who are operating the very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system, according to news release Wednesday by the US mission to the AU.

According to the release, Ambassador Cindy Courville, the US ambassador to the AU, presented the satellite dish system to AMISOM on December 14 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the AU headquarters is based.

The VSAT system, which is expected to improve communication and coordination between AMISOM forces in Somalia and its headquarters in Addis Ababa was received by Ambassador Said Djinnit, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security on behalf of the AU. In accepting the donation, Mr. Djinnit thanked the government and people of the United States for their continued support to the AU’s peace efforts.

VSAT creates a direct, reliable and secure connection between personnel in the field and the AU’s 24-hour situation room. It will link field officers to AU staff both by email and voice over Internet protocol, expanding and increasing the speed of real-time communication, coordination and reporting. Fast and reliable communications between field and headquarters has been a major challenge in supporting the AU mission in Somalia. The system will be installed in the field in early 2008, according to the release.

Prior to handing-over the equipment, the US mission to the AU organized and conducted a hands-on training program for nine AU military technicians who will be responsible for the day to day management and upkeep of the system.

In addition to the satellite system, the United States has helped to prepare some AU forces for deployment to Somalia. For example, a small team from the US Air Force in December and January assisted Burundian troops in practicing procedures for loading personnel and cargo aboard C-130 transport aircraft.

The United States contributed $78.7 million in support of AMISOM in 2007, according to a U.S. State Department fact sheet. That included: $19.6 million to support the initial deployment of Ugandan troops; $40 million for equipment, training and logistics support to AMISOM; $7 million for additional peacekeeper training and equipment under the Africa Contingency Operations and Assistance (ACOTA) program; and $12.1 million to support the deployment of Burundian troops.

Source African Press Agency

Net News Publisher