The Intel Corporationsponsored a two-day workshop in Nairobi, Kenya aimed at facilitating dialogue among managers of African Universal Service Funds (USFs).  Representatives from 10 African countries were present, as well as leaders of the Funds in Malaysia and India.

The workshop was very interactive.  It consisted of a series of panel discussions facilitated by Mr. David Townsend, a world expert in Universal Service, where managers of more advanced funds could discuss how they had tackled various issues in the past.  The discussion was lively and broad, and afterwards all participants acknowledged the usefulness of the exercise.

Mr. Baskir Kamara, of the Sierra Leone Universal Access Development Fund, said  “I now have more confidence to implement an effective USF.”

Eric White of INTEGRA made a presentation about GBI and its mandate of providing technical assistance to USFs.  Afterwards he was approached by a number of country representatives inquiring about how to establish USAID assistance programs.

The workshop was the first in a series that Intel and USAID will hold over the next year.