Development of research networking in Africa: the point of view of the RINAF technical support unit established in Pisa

In occasion of the next meeting of the RINAF co-ordinators, which will take place in conjunction with the CARI Conference to be held in Dakar in October 1998, we have judged usuful the submission of the present paper which offers our contribution to the discussion on the prosecution of the RINAF activities and on the future developments of the reasearch networking in Africa. This paper also intends to offer an evaluation of the RINAF project, elaborated by the technical support unit estabilished in Pisa, within the context of the development of research networking in Africa, taking into account the comprehensive external evaluation report of Mr. Mike Jensen, commissioned by UNESCO, dated May 1998. This paper starts with a short description of the project history, of the organizational approach adopted to achieve the project objectives and of the role carried out by the technical support unit. Subsequently, an analysis of the changing networking environment in Africa, along with some other remarks on the set up of an independent African management capacity for research networks, are given.