Communications on NEPAD e-Africa Commission ICT task team
meeting

6 April 2006

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Task Team of the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) e-Africa Commission is meeting
here over two days to discuss and approve the policy and regulatory framework
for the development of an ICT broadband infrastructure network for eastern and
southern Africa, including the East African Sub-marine Cable (EASSy). The task
team is meeting with government policy makers, regulators and telecom companies
from eastern and southern Africa and the proposals agreed upon will be
submitted for approval to a regional ministerial meeting to be held soon.

Since its adoption by the Heads of State and government implementation
committee as a NEPAD flagship project in November 2004, EASSy is being run
under the auspices and principles of NEPAD. “This is an African project
developed in the context of NEPAD, which emphasises collaboration among African
countries, and specifically African ownership and leadership. The project
epitomises the collaboration of East and Southern African countries,” says Dr
Chasia, Chairman of the E-Africa Commission.

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 realise that the primary
ideas and effort which will enable us to pull ourselves out of our predicament
and develop will be African,” says Dr Chasia.

Among the issues being discussed for agreement are the development of
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), ownership and funding for the cable. Others are
the EASSy cable set up process, management, governance and implementation
schedules.

For more information please contact:
Samuel Mikenga
Communications Manager
NEPAD e-Africa Commission
Tel: (012) 841 4523
Cell: 072 5296 769

Albi Modise
Acting Head of Communications
Department of Communication
Cell: 083 4902 871

Issued by: Department of Communications
6 April 2006