An ICT broadband network for West, Central and North Africa was agreed during a workshop convened by the Commission in July, 2005, in Dakar, Senegal.  Due to a lack of resources, the Commission has been unable to build on the outcome of the workshop in the interim. The Commission secured funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB) for a follow-up study of terrestrial optical fibre networks in the region which was concluded in November 2007.

In order to develop the network further, the Commission requires the services of a technical expert to lead the work in those regions. The Commission concluded a funding agreement with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) worth € 850 000.00. The appointment of the expert will be concluded in early 2008.