African sea cable seen launching in ’08

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK – A crucial undersea telecoms cable linking East Africa to the rest of the world will be up and running by mid 2008 even though most countries on the continent have shunned an agreement to oversee it, key officials said on Sunday.

Henry Chasia, deputy chairman of the NEPAD e-Africa commission, which is driving the project, told Reuters he expected 15 countries to sign an agreement to oversee the running of the cable – enough to push ahead with construction. That was despite only seven out of 23 countries signing a deal on how to run the cable, which is aimed at slashing the cost of phone calls and Internet access, at a meeting in Rwanda last week.”If we get 10 to 12 countries agreeing then we can push ahead – but I think we will get 15,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting of South African President Thabo Mbeki’s international advisory committee on communications.”We have been slightly delayed but we expect to launch in the first half of 2008.”The project for the 9 000 km cable from South Africa to Sudan, which could cut Internet costs by up to a third over five years, has been delayed by bickering mainly between South Africa and Kenya over funding and access costs.Ministers said in June the cable would launch in the first quarter of 2008.High telecom costs are impeding investment in the world’s poorest continent, particularly in countries like Kenya which are keen to nurture call centre outsourcing industries.South African Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri also said she was confident last week’s meeting would not scupper the project.She said many more countries planned to sign the protocol but representatives at the meeting in Rwanda simply needed more time to discuss details with their governments.These countries had an extra 90 days to sign the agreement.”I am quite confident that this train has left the station and the others will join at the next station,” she told a media briefing after the meeting.The NEPAD e-Africa commission is the technology arm of Africa’s homegrown recovery initiative – the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).It pioneered plans for the undersea cable.Nampa-ReutersThat was despite only seven out of 23 countries signing a deal on how to run the cable, which is aimed at slashing the cost of phone calls and Internet access, at a meeting in Rwanda last week.”If we get 10 to 12 countries agreeing then we can push ahead – but I think we will get 15,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting of South African President Thabo Mbeki’s international advisory committee on communications.”We have been slightly delayed but we expect to launch in the first half of 2008.”The project for the 9 000 km cable from South Africa to Sudan, which could cut Internet costs by up to a third over five years, has been delayed by bickering mainly between South Africa and Kenya over funding and access costs.Ministers said in June the cable would launch in the first quarter of 2008.High telecom costs are impeding investment in the world’s poorest continent, particularly in countries like Kenya which are keen to nurture call centre outsourcing industries.South African Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri also said she was confident last week’s meeting would not scupper the project.She said many more countries planned to sign the protocol but representatives at the meeting in Rwanda simply needed more time to discuss details with their governments.These countries had an extra 90 days to sign the agreement.”I am quite confident that this train has left the station and the others will join at the next station,” she told a media briefing after the meeting.The NEPAD e-Africa commission is the technology arm of Africa’s homegrown recovery initiative – the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).It pioneered plans for the undersea cable.Nampa-Reuters