Freetown — H.E the Sierra Leone Ambassador to Senegal Khadijatu Bassir over the weekend on the invitation of President Abdoulai Wade of Senegal, joined her colleague Ambassadors based in Senegal and other 35 African governments and Institutional representatives to attend the 42nd INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED NAMES AND NUMBERS (ICANN) yearly Conference at the Meridian President Hotel in Dakar Senegal.

The "Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers" is the self-regulatory organization under the U.S Law, which is globally responsible for domain names and IP addresses. It organizes the application process for Top Level Domains. Delivering, his opening speech at the weeklong conference, President Wade, thanked the organizers for choosing Senegal for this year's ICANN Conference and extended a warm welcome (bienvenue) to all participants.

The internet he said has played and continued to play very important roles in world's affairs, bringing us much closer and to an extent shaping our developmental goals and achievements. President Wade stressed the need for registration, participation and greater collaboration for African integration into the net as one family. He referred to Africa as the fastest emerging market on the planet.

According, to an executive of ICANN Mdm. Crowder, African contribution to the internet is of paramount importance. She informed that this year's ICANN 42nd public meeting in Senegal has a

I,246 participants being one of the largest since its inception. 'African population is embracing the internet with 5.4% internet users in Africa. Doubtless Africa needed the internet for constructive interaction" She said. Steven Coker another ICANN Executive, referred to the internet as power, magic and success that brings people together. Ambassador Bassir during the conference took the opportunity to engage and discussed bilateral and other related issues with other Ministers, Ambassadors and African dignitaries, putting forward President Ernest Bai Koroma's AGENDA for CHANGE. She implored them to see the urgent need, for greater African integration and the opening up of our markets with the aid of the internet for African development.

Other issues discussed at the conference were Capacity Building, Accountability and transparency, Budget framework, non commercial and commercial and business users and above all Conflict and Ethics. The week preceding this main conference the Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Sheka Tarawalie and a senior Secretary at the Ministry Mr. Cooper attended a pre- ICANN workshop at the same venue that set the stage for this main one.

The Executive of ICANN at the end of the conference stressed that Africa is opening for business and with the spontaneous uprising in parts of Africa, due in no small way to the Internet the citizens of Africa have indicated that they are joining the connected global village.