The UbuntuNet Alliance, arose from the scenario outlined below

1. The recognition, in 2002, that although little utilised fiber infrastructure existed that could facilitate fast Internet connectivity in Southern Africa, access was prohibited by the closed policy and regulatory framework in some countries that also affected trans-border cooperation.
2. This meant that Southern African tertiary connectivity would remain several orders of magnitude lower than that of countries located on other continents
3. The resulting insight came about: that change would only come through lobbying and awareness raising at multiple levels: policy, government, donor.  The UbuntuNet Alliance emerged as a key  vehicle in changing the information landscape.

UbuntuNet Alliance Achievements

31 January 2008		Launch of the London UbuntuNet Hub and Announcement of the GEANT2 Connection by DANTE
September 2007		Appointment of Acting Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Dr. F.F. Tusubira
23 February 2007		Nairobi Activities - 1st Council of Members Meeting - 5th UbuntuNet Alliance Board Meeting - Research and Education Networking Workshop
22 February 2007		African Research and Education Networking Infrastructure Feasibility Study Scoping Workshop, Nairobi, Kenya
15 December 2006		4th UbuntuNet Alliance Board Meeting in Stockholm after the 2006 Open Access Workshop
15 December 2006		Donors-UbuntuNet Alliance Meeting in Stockholm
12-14 December 2006		4th International Workshop on Open Access, Stockholm
3-6 October 2006		UbuntuNet Alliance Planning Retreat in Zomba, Malawi. Strategic Plan developed. Agreed that UbuntuNet Alliance would cover the whole of Africa
29 August 2006		3rd UbuntuNet Alliance Interim Board Meeting in Kigali after the NEPAD ICT Protocol Signing
24 August 2006		Completion of registration as an Association with full legal capacity.
16 August 2006		Victor Kyalo and Albert Nsengiyumva (UbuntuNet Alliance Interim Board Members) visit the AAU Secretary General to make a briefing on the progress of the activities of UbuntuNet Alliance.
2 May 2006		Second UbuntuNet Alliance Interim Board Meeting in Pretoria ahead of the e-Infrastructure Partnerships Workshop.[Presentation by Duncan Martin]
April 2006		Victor Kyalo and Duncan Martin (UbuntuNet Alliance Interim Board Members) appointed to AAU Advisory Committee for Education and Research Networking
29 March 2006		Legal registration as  an Association (initially with Limited Legal Capacity)
10 March 2006		Expansion of membership to include Uganda
6-7 March 2006		The meeting in Brussels with EU Commissioner and selected DGs and current and prospective UbuntuNet Alliance members to map the way forward with Géant2
8 March 2006		Meeting with Netherlands lawyers to move towards legal registration as at Stichtung.  There agreed to register rather as an Association.
March 2006		The 1st UbuntuNet Alliance Interim Board Meeting in Brussels prior to the EU consultations
		Offer of initial operating funding from OSI and OSISA, reinforced by IDRC
Dec 2005/Jan 2006		The contact with lawyers and drafting of the Constitution
1 December 2005		Resolutions of Southern African Ministers responsible for Science and Technology in Maputo, Mozambique
October 2005		Feature in Balancing Act 282
November 2005		Significant Meeting with Henry Chassia of NEPAD and Carmen Mena Abela of EU at WSIS
11-13 Nov 2005		Conference on African Research and Education Networking Infrastructure, Tunis
November 2005		The launch at WSIS and ensuing Publicity11-13
October 2005		Agreement to form a collaborative regional networking body was reached in August 2005. The name UbuntuNet Alliance was settled upon
8-9 August 2005		SARUA Fibre Project Kick-off Workshop, Johannesburg
June – November 2005		SARUA Fibre Initiative
10-11 May 2005		3rd International Workshop on Open Access, Maputo
21-23 Feb 2005		AAU Annual General Meeting, Cape Town