[WACREN2026 LOC] GAMREN Readiness - WACREN 2026

Sat Jan 31 14:06:20 UTC 2026

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 <batchsowe86 at gmail.com> 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 <effah.amponsah at wacren.net <mailto:effah.amponsah at wacren.net>> 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 <mailto: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 <http://www.wacren.net/>
>>> M:  +233 501100457
>>> From: Edward A Mendy <edwardamendy at yahoo.com> <mailto:edwardamendy at yahoo.com>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 3:23 PM
>>> To: Omo Oaiya <omo.oaiya at wacren.net> <mailto:omo.oaiya at wacren.net>; Hydara Mbemba <hmbemba at utg.edu.gm> <mailto:hmbemba at utg.edu.gm>; abigail.essel at wacren.net <mailto:abigail.essel at wacren.net> <abigail.essel at wacren.net> <mailto:abigail.essel at wacren.net>
>>> Cc: Samba Sowe <batchsowe86 at gmail.com> <mailto:batchsowe86 at gmail.com>; Serign Omar Lowe Nicolas <serign.omar.lowe at gmail.com> <mailto:serign.omar.lowe at gmail.com>; Abigail Essel <pmo at wacren.net> <mailto:pmo at wacren.net>; Effah Amponsah <effah.amponsah at wacren.net> <mailto:effah.amponsah at wacren.net>; WACREN CEO <ceo at wacren.net> <mailto:ceo at wacren.net>; 'netops' <netops at wacren.net> <mailto:netops at wacren.net>; sysops <sysops at wacren.net> <mailto:sysops at wacren.net>
>>> 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 <mailto:abigail.essel at wacren.net> <abigail.essel at wacren.net> <mailto: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 <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nDT--ZVLLiTyQvRrcYuJ3ixbXmERpxX5/edit?gid=923829543#gid=923829543>
>>> 
>>> 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 <http://www.wacren.net/>
>>> M:  +233 501100457
>>> 
>>> 
>>> From: Omo Oaiya <omo.oaiya at wacren.net> <mailto:omo.oaiya at wacren.net>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 12:08 PM
>>> To: Hydara Mbemba <hmbemba at utg.edu.gm> <mailto:hmbemba at utg.edu.gm>
>>> Cc: Edward A Mendy <edwardamendy at yahoo.com> <mailto:edwardamendy at yahoo.com>; Samba Sowe <batchsowe86 at gmail.com> <mailto:batchsowe86 at gmail.com>; Serign Omar Lowe Nicolas <serign.omar.lowe at gmail.com> <mailto:serign.omar.lowe at gmail.com>; Abigail Essel <pmo at wacren.net> <mailto:pmo at wacren.net>; Effah Amponsah <effah.amponsah at wacren.net> <mailto:effah.amponsah at wacren.net>; WACREN CEO <ceo at wacren.net> <mailto:ceo at wacren.net>
>>> Subject: Re: GAMREN Constitution
>>> 
>>> Dear Colleagues,
>>> 
>>> Greetings from Lomé.
>>> 
>>> 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 <hmbemba at utg.edu.gm> <mailto:hmbemba at utg.edu.gm> 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, <edwardamendy at yahoo.com <mailto:edwardamendy at yahoo.com>> 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 <hmbemba at utg.edu.gm <mailto:hmbemba at utg.edu.gm>> 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, <edwardamendy at yahoo.com <mailto:edwardamendy at yahoo.com>> 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 22nd 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 <omo.oaiya at wacren.net <mailto:omo.oaiya at wacren.net>> 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 <hmbemba at utg.edu.gm <mailto:hmbemba at utg.edu.gm>> 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, <omo.oaiya at wacren.net <mailto:omo.oaiya at wacren.net>> 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 <http://ren.gm/>. eduid.gm <http://eduid.gm/> and eduroam.gm <http://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 Stratégie | WACREN <https://www.wacren.net/>
>>> m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Omo OAIYA
>>> Chief Strategy Officer/Directeur de la Stratégie | WACREN <https://www.wacren.net/>
>>> m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Omo OAIYA
>>> Chief Strategy Officer/Directeur de la Stratégie | WACREN <https://www.wacren.net/>
>>> m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> -- 
>> Effah Amponsah
>> Marketing & Communications, WACREN

Omo OAIYA
Chief Strategy Officer/Directeur de la Stratégie | WACREN <https://www.wacren.net/>
m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987

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