Country Backs Nepad Broaband Network

Malawian President Dr Bingu Wa Mutharika on February 13 put his signature to the protocol on policy and regulatory framework for the NEPAD Broadband Infrastructure Network, meaning the protocol came into force immediately, RNA reports.

Known as the Kigali protocol, the ratification by Malawi now brings to seven - making a majority of countries required to bring the protocol into force.

The other only six countries that had already ratified the protocol are: Lesotho, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

The inaugural signing of the Network was held in Kigali on 29 August 2006, where the first seven countries signed the protocol; namely: Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, DR Congo, and Zambia, also followed suit.

"What this development means is that we can now go ahead to quickly implement the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network, comprising of UHURUNET, 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", said Dr Henry Chasia, the Executive Deputy Chairperson of the NEPAD e-Africa Commission in a statement on Tuesday.

"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", he added.

Planning for the construction of the UHURUNET (the submarine cable) has already commenced and should be up and providing cheap connectity to the whole continent by the end of 2009.

"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 in the same statement.

Under the Kigali protocol, Rwanda is to house the Special Purpose Vehicle - an entity that will own, operate and maintain the broadband cable project. The holding company for a fitting ki-Swahili name for a company operating an under-sea cable.

Political squabbles between Kenya and South Africa dogged communication cable projects for the continent. South Africa and Kenya argued over whether the previously planned EASSy cable should be controlled by the private sector, or an open access system - approved by NEPAD -where investors and non-investors are given international bandwidth access at the same price.

The result was that both announced projects outside of the EASSy initiative: Kenya's US$110 million TEAMS and the South Africa-led NEPAD Broadband Infrastructure Network. Late last year, the $2 Billion network was given a nod by other governments.