NEWS
	Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554	News media information 202 / 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 202/418-2555
	This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 4, 2000 News Media contact: Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0511
	CHAIRMAN KENNARD RELEASES REPORT ON THE AFRICAN INITIATIVE WITHIN HIS INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
	Washington, DC -- William E. Kennard, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), today will release "Connecting the Globe:The Africa Initiative," the first of four reports that will be produced as part of his International Development Initiative. Last June, in response to a growing volume of requests from his regulatory counterparts abroad, Chairman Kennard announced his International Development Initiative a commitment by the FCC to provide technical assistance to developing nations in Africa, Latin America, Asia and central Europe to assist them in building independent telecommunications regulatory regimes that will promote competition, liberalization and privatization. Chairman Kennard announced at the time that he would begin the initiative in Africa because it is the next great frontier in the information revolution. Last summer Chairman Kennard traveled to Africa and he has signed one-year work plans with South Africa, Ghana and Uganda. The report released today details the history of the initiative, the actual work plans signed with those three countries and the three major components of the Development Initiative for Africa: Regional outreach to the telecommunications regulators of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Telecommunications Regulators Association of Southern Africa (TRASA), as well as to regulatory officials from countries in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); Bilateral work plans with Ghana, South Africa and Uganda, which provide for technical assistance from the FCC as well as exchanges of information; and Future opportunities for cooperation and assistance to countries seeking to establish independent regulatory bodies and open and competitive markets. "Connecting the Globe: The Africa Initiative," as well as other documents relating to the International Development Initiative, are available online at the FCC's website, www.fcc.gov. - FCC - International Bureau contact: Patrick Boateng at (202) 418-2370