Press Releases

U.S. Government Donates Computer Equipment to The ACT Association

November 30, 2005

On Tuesday, November 29, the U.S. Government donated computer equipment to the ACT Association of Mauritius to assist in the establishment of an Internet exchange point, a vital step in the creation of Mauritian Internet infrastructure.  Stephen Schwartz, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy, presented Dr. Viv Padayatchy, Secretary of the ACT Association, with the donation.  ACT is an association regrouping various operators of the information and communication technology (ICT) industry in Mauritius and acting as a facilitator for the establishment of the Internet exchange point. 

Competing Mauritian Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have joined together to create a common exchange point, enabling local Internet traffic to be routed through Mauritius, rather than passing through Paris, as it has in the past.  The establishment of a local exchange point will result in more efficient use of expensive international Internet bandwidth and faster access to local Internet content for the user.

The U.S. Embassy in Mauritius was pleased to work with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Packet Clearing House (PCH), a U.S. non-profit research institute, to provide equipment and training to Mauritius in an effort to improve the quality, robustness, and accessibility of the Internet.  PCH has projects in more than 20 countries.

The U.S. Government works with foreign governments, non-profit organizations, and civil society around the world to increase connectivity and expand the reach of information and communication technology.