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.

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.

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 has 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; comprising of a submarine segment, and a terrestrial segment.
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 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.

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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 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 listed below:

The Policy Principles

1. Non-discriminatory Open Access.
2. Equitable Joint Ownership of the backbone infrastructure across the region.
3. Separation of ownership of the infrastructure from its use.
4. Use of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to build, own and operate the Broadband ICT network
5. ICT Broadband 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.

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The Kigali Protocol

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

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.

 

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Interim Inter-Governmental Assembly

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

COUNTRY	NAME
Botswana	Mr. Cecil MASIGA, Principal Communications Officer, Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology.
Democratic Republic of Congo	Ir. Bienvenu LUMBU KITUNGWA, Conseiller en charge des NTICs et Telecoms, 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 (Ministere des Telecommunications des Postes et de la Communication).
Malawi	Mr. Kanyingi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information & Civic Education.
Mauritius	A.Noorani Oozeer, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications.
Rwanda	Mr. Francis GATARE, NEPAD Advisor, Office of the President.
South Africa	Ms. Lyndall SHOPE-MAFOLE, Director General, Dept. 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.

 

Ratification of the Kigali Protocol

As of the end of November 2007, the protocol had been ratified by six countries: Lesotho, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. The protocol will shortly come into force after it has been ratified by a seventh country.

Accession to the Kigali Protocol

After the protocol has come into force, any of the 11 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa that could not sign the protocol during the 3 months between end of August and end of November 2006, may accede to the protocol.

Kigali Protocol to extend to any African country

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.
5. They welcomed with appreciation the invitation from the government of Rwanda to the Connect Africa Summit to be held in Kigali on 29-30th October, 2007, under the patronage of President Paul Kagame of the Republic of Rwanda and President Agyekum Kufour, the President of Ghana and current Chairperson of the African Union and other invited Heads of State. They accordingly directed the NEPAD e-Africa Commission to present on their behalf the proposed submarine cable system to the meeting of African Ministers responsible for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and/or Telecommunications, and to the Heads of State and Government Summit.
6. They re-committed themselves to ensuring a speedy implementation of this important project, and undertook to have the protocol come into force before the end of November 2007, by ratifying the protocol in their respective countries.

Implementation of Uhuru Submarine Network

The NEPAD Submarine SPV to be set up by telecom operators in conformity with the Kigali Protocol (the SPV) will be the single largest shareholder with a 30% investment in Baharicom. The NEPAD Submarine SPV will secure at least one third of the bandwidth of the Uhurunet cable in order to meet the current and future bandwidth needs of its shareholders across the African continent. In October, 2007, the Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the promoters of one of the larger initiatives, 5-P Holdings. MoUs between the promoters of the various initiatives are currently being considered and a steering committee will be established to coordinate the implementation of the expanded network.

The NEPAD Submarine SPV will have to raise US$600 million for its 30% share in the Baharicom company. It is envisaged that 50% of this will be equity, and 50% debt. The Commission has entered into discussions with the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF), with a view to obtaining quasi-equity funding for the NEPAD Submarine SPV’s investment in Baharicom. The Commission has also held discussions with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) with a view to persuading them to take a similar interest in funding the NEPAD Submarine SPV. The PAIDF is a NEPAD initiative intended to utilize pension funds from various African countries for infrastructure development across the continent. PAIDF has expressed a keen interest to lead the process of funding acquisition.

The next steps in the process are expected to include:

• Conclusion of a shareholders’ agreement amongst promoters of Uhurunet,
• Incorporation of the NEPAD Submarine SPV by African ICT/telecom companies,
• Incorporation of Baharicom,
• Financial closure,
• Consideration of submarine supply contracts,
• Laying of the submarine cable network.

Implementation of Umoja Terrestrial Network

To attract potential investors to take part in the NEPAD SPV that will develop, own and operate the terrestrial segment of the NEPAD network, the technical and commercial viability of the network must be assured. A detailed feasibility study for the terrestrial network will be carried out during the first half of 2008. 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.

The Commission applied to the DBSA for funding of the study and an amount of US$410,000 was approved by the AFD/DBSA PPPF in September, 2007. A contract for the study will be awarded before the end of 2007.

Harmonisation of Policy, Legal and Regulatory Frameworks

A regional harmonisation workshop on policy, legal and regulatory frameworks was held in September, 2007. 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 harmonisation and prepared them to take the process further in their respective countries.

The Ministerial IGA meeting of the 15th of October, 2007, undertook to support and expedite the harmonisation of their national policies, laws, and regulatory frameworks with the Kigali Protocol.

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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 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. 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.

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