Zambia joins EASSy

12/12/2006 
Media release

Tshwane, South Africa, 05 December 2006.

Zambia signed the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network Protocol on 30 November 2006 in Lusaka, to become the twelfth country to do so.

In a ceremony held under the auspices of the African Union (AU), Peter Daka, Zambian Minister of Transport and Communications signed on behalf of his government while Dr Edmund Katiti signed on behalf of AU as witness.

The signing of the protocol paves way for fast track implementation of the Network that among other things, involves the construction of a 9900 km long submarine (EASSy) cable from Mtunzini, South Africa to Port Sudan in Sudan. The network is scheduled to be operational in year 2008 and is estimated to cost USD 300 million.

The NEPAD e-Africa Commission, tasked with developing ICT policies, strategies and projects, and managing the development of the ICT sector in the NEPAD context, has been coordinating the initiative.

Says Dr Henry Chasia, of the NEPAD e-Africa Commission, “We now have a critical mass of countries that have signed the protocol, and a contiguous territory to enable us start the planning of the construction of the NEPAD Broadband ICT Network, including the EASSy cable. Other countries that for some reason or the other have not signed will accede to the protocol soon.”

It is envisaged that once implemented, the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Initiative will greatly reduce the costs of telecommunications and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of how Africa does business.

“The network will go a long way to reduce costs of access to, and improve our telecommunications systems, thus bridging the digital divide and improving African lives. It will also epitomize the partnerships and collaboration among African countries”, noted Dr Chasia

The inaugural signing of the NEPAD Broadband ICT infrastructure was held in Kigali, Rwanda in August, 2006, where seven countries signed the protocol. Countries that signed the protocol are Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Lesotho, Malawi, Madagascar, and South Africa The meeting resolved to extend the signing for other countries to 30 November 2006. Since then, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and now Zambia, have signed the protocol.

The 23 countries involved in the network are Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Djibouti, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

For more information and media inquiries, please contact:

Samuel Mikenga Communications Manager, NEPAD e-Africa Commission Tel: +27 72 529 6769 (South Africa) E-mail: smikenga@eafricacommission.org