The undersea cable environment around the African continent continues to evolve. Proposed cables appear, disappear, merge. Steve Song from the Shuttleworth Foundation is keeping track.
Ownership of the SAT-3 cable by telecoms incumbents in Africa has reinforced their market positions, APC study finds.
21/02/2008
MEDIA RELEASE
The Kigali Protocol for the NEPAD ICT Network Comes into Force
Pretoria, South Africa, 19 February 2008. The protocol on policy and
regulatory framework for NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network, known
as the Kigali protocol, came into force on 13th February 2008, after His
Excellency Dr Bingu Wa Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi put
pen to paper in Lilongwe, Malawi. Malawi thus became the seventh country
to ratify the protocol. Other countries that have already ratified the
protocol are: Lesotho, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and
Zimbabwe. Ratification by seven countries was the majority needed to bring
the protocol into force.
The signed instrument of ratification from the Malawian President reads in
part, “I, Dr Bingu Wa Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi,
for and on behalf of the Republic of Malawi, do hereby notify and confirm,
in accordance with Article 22 of the protocol, that the Republic of Malawi
ratifies the Protocol.”
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 signing and ratification of
the Kigali Protocol.
Says Dr Henry Chasia, the Executive Deputy Chairperson of the NEPAD
e-Africa Commission, “What this development means is that we can now go
ahead to quickly implement the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network,
comprising of UHURUNET (the submarine cable), and UMOJANET (the
terrestrial segment), to provide quality and affordable
telecommunications connectivity to Eastern and Southern Africa and to the
rest of the African continent. This network will be a major step in
interconnecting the African continent and thus helping to bridge the
digital divide, and improving lives of Africans.
The partnerships and collaboration among African countries will be
epitomized by the joint ownership, development and operation of the NEPAD
network. The countries that did not sign the Kigali Protocol by the
deadline of November 30, 2006, can now accede to the protocol and thus
benefit from the NEPAD network”
The Kigali Protocol was negotiated by a wide range of stakeholders and was
accepted and signed by 12 countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa.
The Protocol takes account of the NEPAD network principles in the
development of a policy and regulatory framework for the region, as well
as in the details of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) that will own,
operate and maintain the NEPAD network.
“We can now take the necessary steps to bring together entities that
were nominated to be shareholders in the NEPAD submarine SPV to discuss
issues such as a shareholders agreement, and thereafter form the SPV. We
expect construction of the submarine cable to start soon, and to be
completed before the 2010 FIFA World Cup”, says Dr Edmund Katiti, the
NEPAD ICT policy and Regulatory Advisor.
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 with the rest of the world.
The countries that signed the Kigali protocol are: Botswana, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, South
Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The inaugural signing of the NEPAD Broadband ICT Infrastructure Network
was held in Kigali, Rwanda on 29 August 2006, where the first seven
countries signed the protocol; namely: Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi,
Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. Subsequently, Botswana,
Zimbabwe, Mauritius, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Zambia,
signed the protocol.
Ends
For more information and media inquiries, please contact:
Samuel Mikenga
Communications Manager,
NEPAD e-Africa Commission
Tel: +27 12 841 4523
Tel: +27 72 529 6769
E-mail: smikenga@eafricacommission.org