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EASSy Cable Stakeholders Meet to Approve ICT Infrastructure Framework | 16 May 2008 |

Pretoria, South Africa, 6 April 2006. The ICT Task Team of NEPAD (NEPAD e-Africa Commission) met here, 6-7 April 2006, with Government policy makers, regulators and telecom companies from eastern and southern Africa, to discuss and approve the policy and regulatory framework for the development of ICT broadband infrastructure network for eastern and southern Africa, including the East African Sub-marine Cable (EASSy) cable. The proposals would be submitted for approval to a ministerial meeting to be held soon.

Since its adoption by HSGIC in November 2004 as a NEPAD flagship Project, the project is being run under the auspices and principles of NEPAD. Says Dr Chasia, "This is an African project developed in the context of NEPAD which emphasizes collaboration among African countries, and specifically African ownership and leadership. The project will epitomize the collaboration of East and southern African countries".

NEPAD's priority ICT objective for Africa is to ensure that all African countries are connected to one another by broadband fibre optic cable systems that will in turn link them to the rest of the world through existing or planned sub-marine cable systems.

"NEPAD has requested the support of development partners in the prosecution of this project. We welcome their support but we all realize that the primary ideas and effort, which will enable us to pull ourselves out of our predicament and develop, will be African", Dr Chasia said.

Among issues to be discussed were the development of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), ownership, and funding of the cable. Others were EASSy cable set up process, management, governance, and implementation schedules.

Ends

For more information please contact:

Samuel Mikenga
Communications Manager,
NEPAD e-Africa Commission
Tel: 0725 296 769 (mobile)
Tel: 012 841 4523 (office)

Other EASSy Cable notes

COMMUNQUE OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND REGULATORS ON A PROPOSED POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BROADBAND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE IN EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICA

7 NOVEMBER 2005

A meeting of SADC Ministers held in Johannesburg on 7 October 2005, resolved that an urgent meeting of officials and regulators from the SADC countries be convened to develop a policy and regulatory framework within which the broadband network infrastructure in East and Southern Africa can be constructed and operated. As the regional broadband network and the EASSy project extend beyond the SADC countries, the meeting would of necessity include countries outside of SADC. The NEPAD e-Africa Commission was tasked with facilitating and organizing the meeting.

The following principles were agreed upon that governments of the region should adopt to provide a framework for, and facilitate the rapid implementation of the bradband network infrastructure in East and Southern Africa.

Principles
1. The urgent need to build broadband ICT Infrastructure for terrestrial and submarine cable networks for East and Southern Africa
2. The application of open, non-discriminatory and affordable access to these networks
3. Acceptance that cross-border terrestrial and submarine cable segments of these networks can be developed, owned and maintained , as appropriate, by special purpose vehicles
4. Agreement on application of principle of public private partnerships to these networks
5. Governments should create regulatory and policy frameworks conducive to the development of these networks