[Actualités Diplomatiques & International] Two more countries sign for NEPAD ICT Broadband

Two more countries sign for NEPAD ICT Broadband

vendredi 20 octobre 2006
par adi

Two more countries - Botswana and Zimbabwe - have signed the protocol to roll-out the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network, bringing the number of countries committed to the protocol to nine.

The occasion was attended by ICT Ministers of South Africa, Rwanda and Zambia as well as the AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, Dr Benard Zoba.

The signing of the protocol in Cape Town, South Africa, on 16 October 2006 follows an earlier ceremony held in Kigali, Rwanda on 29 August 2006, during which seven countries signed the protocol at a ceremony presided over by the Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The Ministers present at the Kigali meeting agreed to extend the protocol signing period to 30 November 2006 to allow more countries to sign.

The NEPAD e-Africa Commission, under the auspices of the African Union (AU), hosted the signing ceremony of the protocol, including the Eastern Africa Submarine System (EASSy) cable.

Dr Henry Chasia, Executive Deputy Chairperson of the NEPAD e-Africa Commission said that “all stakeholders agree on the need for the network and the need for it to be constructed as soon as possible.” The signing of the protocol will allow for the setting up of a project steering committee to kick-start the implementation of the network.

Source : nepad news - 20 octobre 2006