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Second Interim IGA Meeting Held to Facilitate the Roll Out Of The NEPAD Broadband ICT Infrastructure Network For East And Southe | 21 February 2008 |

The second meeting of the Interim Inter-Governmental Assembly (IGA) was held on Friday March 30, 2007, in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. More than 20 participants from Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and NEPAD attended the meeting.

The meeting follows the first Interim IGA meeting held in Tshwane, December 15, 2006, to fast track implementation of the NEPAD ICT Broadband Network.

The Interim IGA meeting agreed that the protocol on policy and regulatory framework for the regional ICT broadband network should be brought into force as soon as possible. Signatory countries were urged to ratify the protocol by end of May, 2007. All countries present reported that ratification was proceeding expeditiously in their countries and at least one country reported completion of the ratification process.

The Interim IGA also decided that the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that will own, develop, operate and maintain the submarine segment of the network should be registered as soon as possible. The submarine SPV will be registered in Kigali, Rwanda, where it is also planned to host a meeting of prospective shareholders of the SPV in Kigali, May 2007.

The Interim IGA noted that a number of telecom companies had on March 9, signed, outside of the Kigali Protocol, a supply agreement for the laying of the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System. The Interim IGA decided that Members of the Interim IGA would take up the matter with the companies within their jurisdictions that had signed the supply agreement. It was also decided that a meeting be called with all the companies from signatory countries that had signed the supply contract. This process is aimed at creating conditions for a dialogue on how matters should proceed under the protocol.

The Interim IGA decided to proceed expeditiously with the feasibility study for the rescoping of the submarine cable system, for which bids would be invited as a matter of urgency.

Ragarding the proposed level of equity contribution by shareholders in the African-led SPV of the submarine segment, the Interim IGA decided that the maximum level of equity required from each shareholding entity will be US$2million.

The Interim IGA further decided that countries which accede to the protocol after the subamrine SPV has signed the supply agreement, may nominate up to a maximum of 3 entities as shareholders in the African-led SPV.

The Interim IGA would enter into discussions with the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF) for the purpose of securing funds for NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa. The PAIDF is a NEPAD initiative intended to utilize pension funds from various African countries for infrastructure development.

On the issue of harmonization of legal and regulatory frameworks to align them with the Kigali Protocol, it was agreed that appropriate policy advisors, legal officers and regulators should participate in a regional workshop to be conducted by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO). The workshop will sensitize participants of the need for harmonization and will prepare them for the same. Non-signatory countries will be encouraged to participate in the workshop.

About IGA

The Interim IGA is an assembly formed by countries that are signatiory to the Kigali Protocol, meant to facilitate the realization of the objectives of the protocol. Members of IGA include:

Interim IGA members

Interim IGA-Alternate members

For more information about the event, please contact:

Samuel Mikenga
Manager, Public Communications
NEPAD e-Africa Commission
Email: SMikenga@eafricacommission.org
Tel: +27 12 841 4523 (office)
Tel: +27 725 296 769 (mobile)
Fax: +27 12 841 4094
Pretoria; South Africa
Website: www.eafricacommission.org