The NEPAD ICT Infrastructure Programme aims to connect all African countries to one another and, in turn, to the rest of the world through broadband fibre-optic submarine cables. A broadband network that links all 54 African countries will provide abundant bandwidth, easier connectivity and reduced costs. It will help to integrate the continent by facilitating trade, social, and cultural exchange between countries.
The NEPAD e-Africa Commission has identified the establishment of a submarine optical fibre system along the East Coast of Africa as an essential element in achieving its broadband network objectives. Countries along this coast do not presently have access to broadband submarine cable systems, whilst the rest of the African coast is connected to submarine cable systems. Along with their land-locked neighbours, these Eastern and Southern African countries use foreign-owned satellite systems for their international links and, in many cases, also for regional and even for cross-border telecommunications links. The use of these satellite services results in a substantial outflow of scarce capital from the continent.
On 9th March, 2003, the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) adopted the development of a broadband ICT network linking all countries in Africa to one another and in turn to the rest of the world as a top priority NEPAD project.
The NEPAD e-Africa Commission has approached the above-mentioned priority project by working towards the development of two regional networks:
NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa; comprising of a submarine segment, and a terrestrial segment.
NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Central, West and North Africa. A basic rationalized broadband ICT network for Eastern and Southern Africa was agreed by stakeholders during a workshop convened by the NEPAD e-Africa Commission in Johannesburg, 28 to 30 July 2004. The agreed network brought together a number of network development initiatives in the region, such as COMTEL, SRII and the EASSy cable, into a cohesive plan for progressing the development of the agreed basic network.
The network was subsequently adopted as a NEPAD flagship project by the twelfth summit of the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) of NEPAD, in Algiers, Algeria, on 23 November 2004.
With a view to resolving policy and regulatory issues that may impede or prevent the realization of the rationalised network, the NEPAD e-Africa Commission worked with Government ICT Experts, ICT Policy Advisors, Regulators, Civil Society, Legal Experts, Executives of Telecom Companies, and Development Funding Institutions to develop a policy and regulatory framework within which the network, including the submarine cable, could be developed. The Experts and Policy Advisors agreed that the integrated ICT Broadband backbone should be based on the principles of:
Non-discriminatory Open Access
Equitable Joint Ownership of the backbone infrastructure across the region Separation of ownership of the infrastructure from its use. Use of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to build, own and operate the Broadband ICT network Broadband ICT Infrastructure should be viewed as a “public good” and operated on a cost-recovery basis.
The Experts and Policy Advisors also agreed that these principles would cover the submarine cable as well as the Terrestrial network. In addition, they recommended that a Protocol should be signed between the countries of the region in order to underpin their collaboration in developing this network.
A Protocol that encapsulates these principles in a policy and regulatory framework, as well as the details of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) that will own, operate and maintain the NEPAD network, was developed and accepted by a number of governments in Eastern and Southern Africa. Twelve (12) countries signed the Protocol, now known as the Kigali Protocol. The window of opportunity for signing the Protocol was up to November 30, 2006. Those countries that were unable to sign the protocol by November 30, 2006, may accede to it after it has come into force; that is to say, after it has been ratified by more than half of the signatory countries.
The NEPAD e-Africa Commission has identified the establishment of a submarine optical fibre system along the East Coast of Africa as an essential element in achieving its broadband network objectives. Countries along this coast do not presently have access to broadband submarine cable systems, whilst the rest of the African coast is connected to submarine cable systems. Along with their land-locked neighbours, these Eastern and Southern African countries use foreign-owned satellite systems for their international links and, in many cases, also for regional and even for cross-border telecommunications links. The use of these satellite services results in a substantial outflow of scarce capital from the continent.
On 9th March, 2003, the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) adopted the development of a broadband ICT network linking all countries in Africa to one another and in turn to the rest of the world as a top priority NEPAD project.
The NEPAD e-Africa Commission has approached the above-mentioned priority project by working towards the development of two regional networks:
NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa; comprising of a submarine segment, and a terrestrial segment.
NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Central, West and North Africa. A basic rationalized broadband ICT network for Eastern and Southern Africa was agreed by stakeholders during a workshop convened by the NEPAD e-Africa Commission in Johannesburg, 28 to 30 July 2004. The agreed network brought together a number of network development initiatives in the region, such as COMTEL, SRII and the EASSy cable, into a cohesive plan for progressing the development of the agreed basic network.
The network was subsequently adopted as a NEPAD flagship project by the twelfth summit of the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) of NEPAD, in Algiers, Algeria, on 23 November 2004.
With a view to resolving policy and regulatory issues that may impede or prevent the realization of the rationalised network, the NEPAD e-Africa Commission worked with Government ICT Experts, ICT Policy Advisors, Regulators, Civil Society, Legal Experts, Executives of Telecom Companies, and Development Funding Institutions to develop a policy and regulatory framework within which the network, including the submarine cable, could be developed. The Experts and Policy Advisors agreed that the integrated ICT Broadband backbone should be based on the principles of:
Non-discriminatory Open Access
Equitable Joint Ownership of the backbone infrastructure across the region Separation of ownership of the infrastructure from its use. Use of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to build, own and operate the Broadband ICT network Broadband ICT Infrastructure should be viewed as a “public good” and operated on a cost-recovery basis.
The Experts and Policy Advisors also agreed that these principles would cover the submarine cable as well as the Terrestrial network. In addition, they recommended that a Protocol should be signed between the countries of the region in order to underpin their collaboration in developing this network.
A Protocol that encapsulates these principles in a policy and regulatory framework, as well as the details of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) that will own, operate and maintain the NEPAD network, was developed and accepted by a number of governments in Eastern and Southern Africa. Twelve (12) countries signed the Protocol, now known as the Kigali Protocol. The window of opportunity for signing the Protocol was up to November 30, 2006. Those countries that were unable to sign the protocol by November 30, 2006, may accede to it after it has come into force; that is to say, after it has been ratified by more than half of the signatory countries.