Internet Society supports launch with IXP training workshops
Nouakchott, Mauritania – The Internet Society announced that Mauritania’s first Internet Exchange Point (IXP) was successfully launched on 27 November 2015, in Nouakchott, Mauritania. The Internet Society supported the IXP launch with a series of training workshops conducted in Mauritania.
Named RIMIX, the new IXP was formally inaugurated by his Excellency Mr. Moctar Malal DIA, Minister of Employment, Professional Training and New Technologies. Also present at the opening were the Minister of the Secretary-General of the government, the Minister of Higher Education, as well as representatives of the World Bank, the Institute for the Development of Digital Infrastructures, the Association for the Management of the RIMIX, and the Internet Society.
The new IXP will improve local Internet service by eliminating dependence on international connectivity for local Internet traffic exchange and Internet-based communications. As a result, costs will be reduced, creating a more affordable Internet for users. RIMIX will serve as a catalyst for innovation and the development of Internet applications in Mauritania and support government efforts towards the implementation of E-government services.
The IXP was established with the support of the African Internet Exchange System (AXIS), a project of the African Union implemented by the Internet Society, which aims to route 80% of Internet traffic in Africa locally by 2020. To prepare for the launch of Mauritania’s first IXP, AXIS organized an IXP best practices workshop in Nouakchott where senior officials from the Ministry of Employment, Professional Training and New Technologies and more than 50 local experts participated, followed by a hands-on technical training workshop conducted at a later date. Three Internet Service Providers, Mauritel, Mattel and Chinguitel have connected to RIMIX and will start exchanging traffic with each other.
The Internet Society’s Interconnection and Traffic Exchange programme has been actively supporting the development of IXPs to increase cost-effective Internet interconnection environments in emerging economies, furthering the organization’s mission of promoting the development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of people throughout the world.
For more information on AXIS, visit http://pages.au.int/axis
About the Internet Society
The Internet Society is the trusted independent source for Internet information and thought leadership from around the world. It is also the organizational home for the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). With its principled vision and substantial technological foundation, the Internet Society promotes open dialogue on Internet policy, technology, and future development among users, companies, governments, and other organizations. Working with its members and Chapters around the world, the Internet Society enables the continued evolution and growth of the Internet for everyone.
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