[kictanet] Conference on E-Commerce & Internet Security @ KICC

[Brian Longwe]

FYI - apologies for cross-posting

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THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON E-COMMERCE AND INTERNET SECURITY
IN EAST AFRICA

VENUE: KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, NAIROBI


DATE: 13TH-15TH AUGUST 2008


Dear Partner,

RE: THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON E-COMMERCE AND INTERNET
SECURITY IN EAST AFRICA

Information and Communication Technology has been recognised as the
engine of development all over the world. ICT sector provides endless
opportunities for Africa and its growth in East Africa provides even
greater benefits. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) may
arguably be the most powerful tool for social and economic
development.

E-commerce has been the centre of debate in business management in the
21st Century across the globe. The pressure for  businesses in Africa
to go online like most developed nations could be attributed to large
multinational corporations, who integrate the internet  into their
operations; as such suppressing buyers and suppliers located in
developing countries, to adapt to the new business models.



With the marketplace becoming increasingly global, many companies have
come to a realization that it takes more than high quality, affordable
prices and differentiation to excel in today's highly competitive
multinational market place.



E-commerce in the United States of America has flourished owing to
several pre-existing conditions: along history of catalogue marketing
that has helped the fast acceptance of virtual transactions, a high
rate of internet penetration, a mature credit payment system and the
presence of efficient delivery services.



It is very significant that businesses in East Africa realize they
have much to gain from embracing e-commerce in their marketing
strategies. The payoffs are tremendous; penetration rate estimated
currently at over 470 million people, reducing processing costs by up
to 90%, reducing cycle time by up to 80% and improving staff
productivity between 20% and 300%. The solution for Kenyan products
and services to penetrate the global market lies in developing
"e-markets", electronic meeting places for buyers and sellers with
defined rules for e-purchasing, e-bidding and e-selling". It is a
question of acting small but being big. Kenyan and East African
companies have no choice but to deploy internet technologies to remain
competitive.



However, African government needs to take a proactive role in
developing a robust, flexible regulatory framework for e-commerce. It
is equally important to ensure effective coordination of government
agencies, industry association and other facilitators. It is important
that a stable physical and virtual infrastructure of trust - shared by
all concerned parties, public authorities, local and foreign
entrepreneurs, financial services, providers and customers - be
equally enhanced. It is very significant that businesses realize that
they have much to gain from embracing e-commerce in their strategies



Development sector and commercial enterprises in Africa and all over
the world however, have to grapple with serious challenges arising
from  the massive computer application insecurities such as stolen
data, viruses, hackers, spam mail,  government monitoring and privacy
invasion among other  threats. These threats are not only expensive to
an organization in its efforts to deliver effective and efficient
services to its clients but is time wasting and potentially
destructive to organizations.

Purple Images Productions proposes to organize the first conference to
promote e-commerce as a tool of business and national development in
the region. The main objective of the conference will be to create
national forum to review and evaluate ICT development in organizations
in relation to the internet and general computer security threats and
challenges globally and in the region.

Conference Presentation Topics:

E-Commerce

    * The Challenges of Connectivity in Africa
    * The impact of  Cultures on e-business
    * E-Commerce and youth employment
    * Web marketing  challenges and opportunities
    * Business Process Outsourcing : The Challenges and  Opportunities
    * Management Challenges facing E-businesses in East Africa
    * Marketing issues facing E-businesses in East Africa


Computer and Internet Security

·        Website security : opportunities and challenges

·        E-Commerce Business Management and Marketing  Security and
Risk Management  challenges

    * E-government, E-commerce, E-learning and E-banking Security:
Emerging Threats and Technology Trends

·        Computer  and Internet Crimes;  The need for Legislation and Compliance

·        Business Process Outsourcing Opportunities , Challenges and
Security Threats

·        E-commerce Security Policies , Alignment of Business and IT
Security Efforts  and intellectual property rights protection

    * In house security  threats to business, database security,
forensics, identification and authentication, intrusion detection


INTERNET SECURITY & E-COMMERCE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
The following are the categories for the awards dinner ceremony:

    * The Most Successful E-Commerce Company in East Africa
    * The Most Promising Young Person in E-Business of the Year
    * The Most Innovative E-Commerce Achievement for the Year
    *  The E-Commerce Woman of the Year
    * The ICT Manufacturer of the Year
    * E-Tourism Business  of the Year
    * Computer Security Software Development Award of the Year
    * Business Process Outsourcing Company Award of the Year
    * Computer and Internet Security Business Leader of the Year

(To be nominated for awards, send a profile of your e-commerce
business on showing the successes of your business to:
info at purpleimages. com)

Booking and Conference Costs

• Delegates to pay Kshs. 16,000 ($ 250) per person. The fee will cater
for meals and materials. Delegates must also meet the costs of their
travel and accommodation in Kenya .

To be part of this great event, please register by completing the
conference application form. Payment of the participation fee
stipulated above is required to guarantee a slot in the limited places
available. This fee covers lunches, teas & conference materials.
Registration of delegates and the stakeholders is in process. There is
a technical committee to receive and review abstract papers from the
presenters and workshop facilitators. After reviewing the abstract
papers on the different themes of the conference, the final list of
the facilitators and delegates will be sent out alongside the final
conference programme.


Ms. Mercy Kariuki
The Conference Coordinator
The 1st  International  Conference on  E-Commerce  and Internet
Security in East Africa
Mbuchia House, 3rd Flr, West Wing, Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya
P.O BOX 58182 - 00200 Nairobi
Telephone: 254-20-4450937/ 4452674
Cell: 254-720-425175/  722 634947
Email: purplemedia2000@ yahoo.com or  info at purpleimages. com
Email: www.purpleimages. com

-- 
Brian Munyao Longwe
e-mail: blongwe at gmail.com
cell: + 254 722 518 744
blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com
meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com