Global body, the Internet Society, is set to start an initiative this weekend to boost Africa’s local internet traffic and content levels.

In a statement, the Internet Society says it has been chosen by the African Union Commission (AUC) to carry out regional internet exchange point workshops for the ‘African Internet Exchange System’ (AXIS) project.

The AXIS project is focused on increasing Africa’s local internet traffic levels by providing capacity building and technical assistance to facilitate establishments of national and regional internet exchange points in Africa.

Development of more African IXPs is expected to route internet traffic locally, resulting in cost and performance benefits.

The Internet Society then is expected to partner with the African Network Information Center (AFRINIC) and other organisations from Africa, and around the world, to conduct workshops in five AUC geographical regions over the next 18 months. AFRINIC is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa.

The first regional workshop is planned to take place in partnership with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) from 3-7 February 2014 in Gaborone, Botswana.

An Internet Society statement adds that attendees at the workshop are to include more than 100 experts from ministries, regulatory agencies, internet exchange points (IXPs), and the private sector from Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

“The award of this contract reflects the success of the Internet Society’s work to date on AXIS, and we are very thankful to the African Union for this recognition and trust,” said Dr. Dawit Bekele, Internet Society regional bureau director for Africa.

“The AXIS project is instrumental in developing a reliable and sustainable Internet infrastructure in Africa. The Internet Society has provided technical training in Africa for nearly 20 years, and we are very pleased to continue this important work.”

After being selected in August 2012 by the AUC for the first contract under the AXIS project, more than 30 workshops since have taken place. The AUC says that a number of countries as a result are expected to launch IXPs.