Projects

NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network

 

Introduction

The NEPAD ICT Broadband 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.

Many African countries rely on 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.

More about the ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network

• NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Africa
• NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa
• Development of a Policy and Regulatory Framework
• The Kigali Protocol
• Interim Inter-Governmental Assembly
• NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Central, West and North Africa

NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Africa

The NEPAD e-Africa Commission approached the above-mentioned priority project by working towards the development of two regional networks:

• 1. NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa;
• 2. NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Central, West and North Africa.

NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern 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 to faster 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.

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Development of a Policy and Regulatory Framework

With a view to resolving policy and regulatory issues that may impede or prevent the realization of the rationalized 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 listed below:

The Policy Principles

• 1. Non-discriminatory Open Access, whereby all Authorised Service Providers, in any country market, will access broadband connectivity on the same terms, including pricing. This will provide a level playing field for all Authorised Service Providers, increase competition, and thereby reduce bandwidth prices to the end-users.
• 2. Equitable Joint Ownership of the backbone infrastructure across the region.
• 3. Use of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to build, own and operate the Broadband ICT network
• 4. The Basic ICT Broadband Infrastructure should be viewed as a "public good".
• 5. Application of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the development of the network.

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 be signed between the countries of the region in order to underpin their collaboration in developing this network.

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The Kigali Protocol

A protocol that encapsulates these principles in a policy and regulatory framework, the stipulate structure of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) that will own, operate and maintain the NEPAD and network, was developed and accepted by a number of governments in Eastern and Southern Africa. The protocol was signed in Kigali, Rwanda, on August 29, 2006, under the auspices of the African Union. Twelve (12) countries signed the Kigali Protocol.

The countries that signed the protocol are: Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe - the High Contracting Parties.

The protocol came into force in February 2008 after it had been ratified by more than half of the countries that signed it. Now that the protocol is in force, countries that did not sign the protocol by November 30, 2006, can accede to it.

As of the August 2009, the protocol had been ratified by eight countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

 

Objectives of the Kigali Protocol:

a. To promote and facilitate the provision of ICT broadband infrastructure that will support high-quality, high-speed and reliable electronic communications in Eastern and Southern Africa and with the rest of the world at affordable prices for end-users and based on open access principles;

b. To secure the rollout of broadband open access infrastructure in the Region with the involvement of the private sector.

c. To facilitate the incorporation and utilization of existing national networks, subject to agreement of the countries concerned, where applicable, practicable and feasible, into the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network.

d. To address legal, policy and regulatory obstacles in relation to the provision of cross-border infrastructure and services in the Region and beyond by encouraging and promoting Open Access Principles and Harmonization of ICT policies and regulatory frameworks in the Region.

e. To encourage the use of the infrastructure developed in terms of the protocol to support a dynamic, competitive provision of cross-border services and applications at Affordable Prices and increased volumes amongst the countries of the Region and with the rest of the world.

f. To ensure that the infrastructure constructed pursuant to the Protocol is designed to contribute to the development and promotion of the economic, social and cultural integration of the African Continent as envisaged in the African Union Constitutive Act.

g. To facilitate access for Authorised Service Providers, in territories of the High Contracting Parties, to international fibre optic cables at affordable prices and non-discriminatory terms.

 

Key provisions of the Kigali Protocol:

1. The principle of non-discrimination to be applied to all Authorised Service Providers who will have open access to the SPV network irrespective of whether they are shareholders or not.

2. Protocol urges Governments of the region to facilitate the licensing of the SPV(s) that will own, operate and maintain the regional network.

3. Urges Governments to amend, where necessary, their existing legal, policy and regulatory frameworks to be consistent with the Kigali Protocol.

4. Urges Governments to consider low license fees for the SPVs that will cover only the administration costs incurred by regulators.

5. The charges for wholesale bandwidth shall be independent of distance

 

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Interim Inter-Governmental Assembly

An Inter-Governmental Assembly (IGA) was established in line with Article 18 of the protocol. Each signatory country has a representative and an alternate on the IGA. The Members of the IGA are:

COUNTRY	NAME
Botswana	Mr. Itumeleng BATSALELWANG Chief Communications Officer, Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology
Democratic Republic of Congo	Ir. Bienvenu LUMBU KITUNGWA Conseiller en charge des NTICs et Télécoms, Ministère des PTT.
Lesotho	Mr. Tseliso MOKELA Principal Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology.
Madagascar	Mr.Jean Marie RABEVOHITRA Special Advisor for the MTPC (Ministère des Télécommunications des Postes et de la Communication).
Malawi	Mr. Jeffrey KANYINGI Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information & Civic Education.
Mauritius	A.Noorani OOZEER Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications.
Rwanda	Mr. Nkubito Manzi BAKURAMUTSA Executive Director, Rwanda Information Technology Authority.
South Africa	Dr. Keith SHONGWE Deputy Director General, Department of Communications.
Tanzania	Eng. A. B. KOWERO Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Infrastructure.
Uganda	Dr. David TURAHI, Actg. Director for Communications, Ministry for ICT.
Zambia	Brig. Gen. Peter TEMBO, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Transport.
Zimbabwe	Eng. G. S. MLILO, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Kigali Protocol to extend to all African countries

On October 15, 2007, the first Ministerial Inter-Governmental Assembly (Ministerial IGA) comprising of Ministers responsible for ICT and/or Telecommunications in countries that are signatory to the Kigali Protocol, met in Johannesburg and made the following resolutions:

• 1. They welcomed the collaboration coordinated by the NEPAD e-African Commission on the construction of a high capacity submarine cable system with the potential to connect each and every coastal and island African country, and connecting the continent to the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and India.
• 2. They named the submarine segment of the NEPAD network UHURUNET, in recognition of the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of Sub-Saharan independence from colonial rule as well as the importance of the cable for economic freedom in Africa. They named the terrestrial segment of the NEPAD network UMOJANET in recognition of the spirit of unity in action among, and united action by all the stakeholders of the countries of Eastern and Southern Africa involved in the project.
• 3. They recommended that the holding company of the submarine cable be named BAHARICOM, a fitting ki-Swahili name for a company operating an under-sea cable.
• 4. In order to spread the benefits of the UHURU and UMOJA networks to the entire African continent, the Ministers directed the NEPAD e-Africa Commission to request the African Union Commission to assist it in developing the modalities to enable any African country wishing to accede to the Kigali Protocol to do so.

The Legal Counsel of the African Union has confirmed that any African country that so wishes, may accede to the Kigali Protocol.

Implementation of Uhuru Submarine Network

The NEPAD Submarine SPV, to be set up by African telco and non-telco investors in conformity with the Kigali Protocol, will be a 30% investment in Baharicom. Other African investors will have a stake of 45%, while international investors will have 25%. 

Discussions with Development Funding Institutions

For the purpose of securing funds for the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa, discussions have been entered into with Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF), Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

Harmonization of Policy Frameworks

Signatory countries have undertaken to amend their national policy and regulatory frameworks to be consistent with the Kigali Protocol. In order to assist the countries in this regard, the Commission held a regional harmonization workshop in September, 2007, which was attended by protocol signatory and some non-signatory countries. The workshop was facilitated by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), which was instrumental in developing the Kigali Protocol. The workshop sensitized participants on the need for harmonization and prepared them to take the process further in their respective countries. More harmonization workshops will be conducted in future.

Amendments to the Kigali Protocol

As the protocol was originally developed for countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, it is being amended to cater for the African continent as a whole. Legal experts have analyzed the text and proposed appropriate amendments to it.

Implementation of the Terrestrial Segment

In order to facilitate investment in the terrestrial network, a Detailed Feasibility Study (DFS) was undertaken between November 2008 and June 2009, to determine it's the technical and commercial viability. The study covered 23 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, and was carried out with funding assistance from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and Agence Française de Development (AFD). A similar study will be carried out for the rest of the continent.

The outcome of the study will form the basis of a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) that will be presented to prospective investors in the NEPAD Terrestrial SPV that will develop, own and operate the NEPAD ICT terrestrial broadband network (Umojanet).

 Some of the outcomes of the study:

Amongst others, recommendations from the study included:

1. As far as possible, the network should comprise of broadband capacity leased from owners of existing optical fibre infrastructure. This should include capacity available in international submarine cable networks in the region.

2. New infrastructure should only be built where connectivity is essential but lease options are not available.

The study revealed that:

1. The current status of optical fibre infrastructure required to establish the proposed network is:

Status Km     %
Operational 17,400  60%
Under Construction 2,300   8%
Planned 6,600  23%
Required new build 2,900   9%
Total km required 29,200 km

2. Of the optical fibre routes required, 51% of the route km’s can be sourced from non-telco owners of fibre infrastructure.

3. Similarly, 10% of the route km’s can be sourced from at least two non telco providers of optical fibre.

Initially, the network will be established in countries that have signed and ratified the Kigali Protocol or acceded to it. The network will be established over time, in line with traffic demand, growth, and economic viability. As countries accede to the Kigali Protocol, the network will expand to include these countries, based on traffic demand and economic viability, amongst other factors.

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NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Central, West and North Africa

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 April 2008. 

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 has been concluded and the expert will begin work in October 2009. The expert will take the outputs of the Dakar workshop and the findings of the recent study, and plan the next steps towards developing the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for the region, and integrating it into Uhurunet and Umojanet.