From effah.amponsah at wacren.net Mon Feb 2 15:39:07 2026 From: effah.amponsah at wacren.net (Effah Amponsah) Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 15:39:07 +0000 Subject: [WACREN2026 LOC] GAMREN Readiness - WACREN 2026 In-Reply-To: References: <16CBAA39-7504-48CB-B521-28BE14B465DC@wacren.net> <30836E79-7F08-4142-9B13-B3BDC301D804@wacren.net> <1941633836.557295.1769171412615@mail.yahoo.com> <1014978151.115973.1769511976214@mail.yahoo.com> <579DB951-878F-450E-9576-B696F27C968A@wacren.net> <322606794.187840.1769527401667@mail.yahoo.com> <36a73837-3d09-4b25-873e-fdc8414adb97@wacren.net>

Message-ID: Dear All, Here are the meeting minutes (AI-drafted) - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1whLRgClcAqVqgVufH7fSEa_j8wscKMHDnuKNqDfnhVM/edit?usp=sharing Thank you On 1/31/2026 2:06 PM, Omo Oaiya wrote: > Thanks, Samba. > > Effah, > > Please ensure that all mails going forward copies the organising > committee as a standing rule. > > I have also just subscribed Edward Mendy to this mailing list so that > we are fully aligned and can jointly intervene or follow up as > required, including on logistics being covered by WACREN. > >> On 30 Jan 2026, at 19:26, Samba Sowe wrote: >> >> Greetings, >> >> A letter was sent to them confirming the venue. >> >> Samba Sowe >> Director of Science Technology and Innovation >> Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology >> Opposite Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry >> Senegambia Highway >> Bijilo >> The Gambia >> West Africa >> Mob: (220) 204 0321 / (220) 316 0194 / (220) 648 5038 >> >> >> >> On Fri, 30 Jan 2026 at 18:59, Effah Amponsah >> wrote: >> >> Dear Samba , Edward >> >> >> Please confirm if MOHERST/GAMREN has officially booked BICC as >> the venue for the Conference. Of late, my mails to Ramatoulie >> (BICC) concerning some logistics WACREN is paying for, have not >> received any responses. >> >> >> Thank you >> >> >> On 1/27/2026 3:39 PM, abigail.essel at wacren.net wrote: >>> Well acknowledged Edward, >>> >>> Meeting invite shared, and we would be on standby for the updates. >>> >>> Topic: WACREN 2026 - GAMBIA >>> Time: Feb 2, 2026 01:00 PM?Universal Time UTC >>> ? ? ? ? Every week on Mon, >>> Join Zoom Meeting >>> https://wacren.zoom.us/j/68274929518?pwd=RxJpoA3waERjSV21uKKqy1Ra5JW85T.1 >>> >>> >>> Meeting ID: 682 7492 9518 >>> Passcode: 145419 >>> >>> >>> >>> Best Regards, >>> >>> Abigail Essel >>> Project Manager/Chef de Projet?| WACREN >>> M: ?+233 501100457 >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> *From:* Edward A Mendy >>> >>> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 27, 2026 3:23 PM >>> *To:* Omo Oaiya >>> ; Hydara Mbemba >>> ; >>> abigail.essel at wacren.net >>> >>> *Cc:* Samba Sowe >>> ; Serign Omar Lowe Nicolas >>> >>> ; Abigail Essel >>> ; Effah Amponsah >>> ; >>> WACREN CEO ; 'netops' >>> ; sysops >>> >>> *Subject:* Re: GAMREN Readiness - WACREN 2026 >>> Dear Abigail >>> >>> Thank you for you swift respond in creating the activity tracker. >>> >>> I am presently in Brussels, but I will confirm submission the >>> letters on Monday in the meeting. >>> >>> Edward A. Mendy >>> Principal Science Technology and Innovation Officer >>> Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology >>> The Gambia >>> Mob: (+220) 9841890 / (+220) 3999868 / (+220) 2277978 >>> >>> >>> On Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 03:11:20 PM GMT, >>> abigail.essel at wacren.net >>> wrote: >>> >>> >>> Dear Edward & GAMREN team, >>> >>> Following? from the conversations and actions described below, I >>> have created the below activity tracker so we can use to monitor >>> progress and ensure readiness before the conference. >>> >>> Can you please review the pending actions and provide some >>> updates in the comments section. >>> GAMREN Activity Tracker- WACREN 2026.xlsx - Google Sheets >>> >>> >>> Also,_please confirm that the letters referenced in your email >>> below have formally being submitted._ >>> >>> On standby for your confirmation for a meeting this Monday, >>> sometime between 12:00 and 14:00 GMT. Propose a suitable time >>> next week if not convenient. >>> >>> Cc'ing my technical team to support the connectivity. >>> >>> Best Regards, >>> >>> Abigail Essel >>> Project Manager/Chef de Projet?| WACREN >>> M: ?+233 501100457 >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> *From:*?Omo Oaiya >>> >>> *Sent:*?Tuesday, January 27, 2026 12:08 PM >>> *To:*?Hydara Mbemba >>> *Cc:*?Edward A Mendy >>> ; Samba Sowe >>> ; Serign >>> Omar Lowe Nicolas >>> ; Abigail Essel >>> ; Effah Amponsah >>> ; >>> WACREN CEO >>> *Subject:*?Re: GAMREN Constitution >>> >>> Dear Colleagues, >>> >>> Greetings from Lom?. >>> >>> Thank you all for your efforts in moving this forward. >>> >>> As we approach the conference, we will need to schedule weekly >>> status meetings, even if brief. May I propose Mondays, sometime >>> between 11:00 and 14:00 GMT? >>> >>> Abigail, >>> Please provide a tracker so we can stay on top of the actions >>> identified below and review progress during these meetings. >>> >>> Best regards, >>> >>> >>> On 27 Jan 2026, at 11:49, Hydara Mbemba >>> wrote: >>> >>> Dear Edward, >>> >>> Thank you. Well noted. I will reach out to him. >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Mbemba HYDARA >>> >>> On Tue, 27 Jan 2026, 11:06 Edward A Mendy, >>> wrote: >>> >>> Dear Dr. Hydara >>> >>> I am presently not in the Gambia, so please reach out to >>> the team and coordinate the meeting. Please consult with >>> James Gomez, Director of research, to facilitate a venue >>> at MoHERST for the review. >>> >>> Edward A. Mendy >>> Principal Science Technology and Innovation Officer >>> Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and >>> Technology >>> The Gambia >>> Mob: (+220) 9841890 / (+220) 3999868 / (+220) 2277978 >>> >>> >>> On Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 10:28:32 AM GMT, Hydara >>> Mbemba wrote: >>> >>> >>> Dear Edward, >>> >>> Good morning, >>> >>> I am proposing we reach out to the technical team for a >>> convenient date and time to finalize the draft >>> constitutions shared by Omo ahead of the two weeks >>> deadline . Thank you. >>> >>> >>> Regards >>> Mbemba HYDARA >>> >>> On Fri, 23 Jan 2026, 12:30 Edward A Mendy, >>> wrote: >>> >>> Dear All >>> >>> Please find below the action point of the GAMREN >>> Technical Committee Meeting held yesterday at MoHERST. >>> >>> *Action Point of the GAMREN?s Technical Committee?s >>> Meeting held on Thursday 22^nd ?January 2026* >>> >>> 1.MoHERST to Coordinate and ensure that GAMREN is >>> registered as a legal entity within the next 2 weeks. >>> >>> 2.GAMREN Technical Committee to review and finalize >>> the draft constitution shared by Omo by the end of >>> next week. >>> >>> 3.MoHERST to formally request GAMTEL to Reserve the >>> following domain names for GAMREN within 2 days. >>> >>> 4.Saloum to provide specifications of the aggregated >>> switch for GAMREN as soon as possible >>> >>> 5.WARDIP PC to facilitate the procurement of the >>> aggregated switch and a rack as soon as the >>> specifications are provided. >>> >>> 6.MoHERST to formally request the booking of the >>> BICC for the WACREN Annual Conference within 2 days. >>> >>> 7.GAMTEL to establish the fiber link at UTG by the >>> end of next week >>> >>> 8.MoHERST to formally request GAMTEL for co-location >>> space at the Serekunda exchange ??within 2 days. >>> >>> 9.UTG IT Department in consultation with WAREN >>> Communication Officer to develop GAMREN?s website >>> within 1 week. >>> >>> I am please to inform you that for action points 3, >>> 6, and 8 the letters are ready and submitted to >>> MoHERST records office for dispatch. >>> >>> Edward A. Mendy >>> Principal Science Technology and Innovation Officer >>> Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and >>> Technology >>> The Gambia >>> Mob: (+220) 9841890 / (+220) 3999868 / (+220) 2277978 >>> >>> >>> On Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 07:04:06 PM GMT, >>> Omo Oaiya wrote: >>> >>> >>> Thank you to the GM team for a productive visit. I >>> was very encouraged by the interactions. >>> >>> We look forward to receiving the signed WACREN >>> Conference MOU from MoHERST tomorrow, as they >>> formally write to ICC regarding the venues and to >>> the Presidency concerning the conference and the >>> President?s launch of GAMREN. >>> >>> See you all online. >>> >>> >>> On 22 Jan 2026, at 18:02, Hydara Mbemba >>> wrote: >>> >>> Dear Omo >>> >>> Thank you for the link and the meeting >>> takeaways. These points are well noted. We will >>> do the needful as agreed. >>> >>> Regards >>> Mbemba HYDARA >>> >>> On Thu, 22 Jan 2026, 16:52 Omo Oaiya, >>> wrote: >>> >>> Colleagues, >>> >>> I know Edward took detailed notes and will >>> share the timelines, but I wanted to share >>> the draft constitution I mentioned in the >>> meeting and some of the key issues that need >>> to be completed by March 1 >>> >>> *Governance*?- leading to the establishment >>> of GAMREN as a leagl entity >>> - GAMREN registration ?(I have provided a >>> draft constitution at >>> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LYvwi21rUuFPSD5fUEORWMpeFNWX2AOZv_jj4bCuCrs/edit?usp=sharing?) >>> >>> *Technical*?- leading to the activation of >>> the GAMREN connection to WACREN and >>> provision of the service to UTG >>> - Purchase of an aggregation device to link >>> all the UTG campuses. GAMTEL to provide >>> specs.? WACREN to facilitate purchase if needed. >>> - Write to the regstrar (GAMTEL) to reserve >>> the following names ?- ren.gm >>> . eduid.gm >>> ?and eduroam.gm >>> >>> - Write to GAMTEL for colocation at the IX >>> and reserve a 42U rack for GAMREN >>> - Finalise the fibre connections to the UTG >>> campuses >>> >>> best wishes, >>> Omo >>> >>> Omo OAIYA >>> Chief Strategy Officer/Directeur de >>> la?Strat?gie?| WACREN >>> m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Omo OAIYA >>> Chief Strategy Officer/Directeur de la?Strat?gie?| >>> WACREN >>> m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Omo OAIYA >>> Chief Strategy Officer/Directeur de la?Strat?gie?| WACREN >>> >>> m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987 >>> >>> >>> >> -- >> Effah Amponsah >> Marketing & Communications, WACREN >> > > > Omo OAIYA > Chief Strategy Officer/Directeur de la?Strat?gie?| WACREN > > m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987 > > > > -- Effah Amponsah Marketing & Communications, WACREN -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: