For information about joining ISPAD, please consult the ISPAD Manager, Ms Nancy Ncube, Email: nncube@eafricacommission.org.

Foundation Partners are private sector entities that express significant interest in the success of the NEPAD ICT Programme as a whole and are prepared to support the Commission and work with it to accomplish its goals and programmes.

Foundation Partners will be required to make an annual financial contribution to the work of the Commission. A range of classes of contribution (i.e. Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond ) has been established from which, a Foundation Partner can make a voluntary choice.

The NEPAD e-Africa Commission conducts its work by creating and fostering partnership between governments, business and civil society. The partnership created by the Commission for the purpose of fulfilling the objectives of the NEPAD ICT Programme is known as the Information Society Partnership for Africa’s Development (ISPAD).

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.

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 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.

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, South Africa.

After signing of the Kigali Protocol, an Interim Inter-Governmental Assembly (Interim IGA) was established in line with Article 18 of the protocol. The Interim IGA is an assembly formed by countries that are signatory to the Kigali Protocol, meant to facilitate the realization of the objectives of the protocol.  Each signatory country has a representative and an alternate on the Interim IGA.

Yes. After the protocol has come into force; that is to say, after it has been ratified by more than half of the signatory countries, any of the 11 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa that could not sign the protocol may accede to the protocol.

1. The NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network is a NEPAD priority project and as such, has the support of African countries.
2. The Kigali Protocol is meant to protect African ICT markets by
   encouraging joint African ownership of the basic regional ICT
   infrastructure.
3. The Kigali Protocol removes regulatory barriers and permits the
   establishment of a regional broadband network that will benefit
   Authorised Service Providers in every country covered by the protocol,
   by offering the following benefits: