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NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network: Policy & Regulatory Framework

This presentation provides an overview of the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network, its advantages, developments since the signing of the Protocol, and the way forward. It highlights the prioritization of affordable connectivity and education in the NEPAD ICT program and emphasizes the principles governing the network.

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NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network: Policy & Regulatory Framework

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  1. Presentation on thePROTOCOL ON THE POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKfor theNEPAD ICT BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA13th June 2007

  2. The DoC Team • Ms Lyndall Shope-Mafole : Director-General • Dr Keith Shongwe : Deputy Director-General ICT International Affairs and Trade. • Mr Harry Mathabathe : Deputy Director-General Finance Enterprise and Policy Development • Dr Harold Wesso : Deputy Director-General Policy Development • Ms Mashila Matlala : Director Policy development • Ms Nonkqubela Jordan : Director Africa desk

  3. PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION To provide a briefing on • developments regarding the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network as part of the implementation of the NEPAD ICT programme • The public policy and developmental advantages of that network compared to others • Developments leading to the Protocol on the policy and regulatory framework for the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa • The Protocol • Developments since the signing of the Protocol • The way forward

  4. NEPAD ICT PROGRAMME • When NEPAD was established, ICTs were one of the five areas of priority programmes • Provision was made for the establishment of Task Teams to accelerate implementation of the priority programmes • The NEPAD e-Africa Commission was endorsed by the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) as the NEPAD ICT Task Team • The Commission is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the NEPAD ICT programme

  5. THE NEPAD ICT PROGRAMME PRIORITISES AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY AND EDUCATION • Connectivity and education were seen as critical to meeting NEPAD objectives for the development of the continent, accordingly the NEPAD e-Africa Commission identified the NEPAD broadband Network and the NEPAD e-schools as two of its top priority projects • In 2003 the HSGIC endorsed the NEPAD e-schools and the East-Coast African Sub-marine Cable Project as two of the six priority ICT projects

  6. THE NEPAD NETWORK • In developing the ICT programme the Commission was guided by: • NEPAD objectives and • NEPAD principles

  7. NEPAD OBJECTIVES • To eradicate poverty; • To place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development; • To halt the marginalisation of Africa in the globalisation process and enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy; • To accelerate the empowerment of women

  8. NEPAD PRINCIPLES • Good governance as a basic requirement for peace, security and sustainable political and socio-economic development. • African ownership and leadership, as well as broad and deep participation by all sectors of society. • Anchoring the development of Africa on its resources and resourcefulness of its people. • Partnership between and amongst African peoples. • Acceleration of regional and continental integration. • Building the competitiveness of African countries and the continent. • Forging a new international partnership that changes the unequal relationship between Africa and the developed world.

  9. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEPAD ICT NETWORK • Predominantly African owned and led • The development of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) develop, own, and maintained the networks • The principle of public private partnerships (PPP). • Collaboration between 23 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa • Connect African countries to each other and to the rest of the world. • The network will be made up of a terrestrial as well as a submarine component thus contributing towards the socio-economic development and cultural integration of the continent

  10. PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE NEPAD NETWORK • Non discriminatory access – the cost of access is the same for owners and non owners irrespective of the size or wealth of the company • Open access - Any authorized licence holder can access the network • Separation of ownership from use – Only the SPV –which is owned by all, can sell capacity-eliminating profiteering • Regulated return on investment –investors are guaranteed a steady, stable but reasonable return on investment guaranteeing low communication costs • All companies invest the same irrespective of their wealth and size.

  11. NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa. Submarine cable system

  12. THE PROTOCOL • NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) identified The NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network as a NEPAD flagship project in March 2003. • The Ministers of the region tasked the senior government officials, regulators and policy makers of the region develop a Protocolunder the auspices of the African Union which shall provide a Policy and Regulatory Framework, by which the network will be governed.

  13. BACKGROUND CONTEXT TO THE PROTOCOL • The treaties establishing the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) enjoin their Members States to work towards harmonization of policies in the ICT sector and in particular to work towards improving connectivity amongst their members and the world

  14. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROTOCOL • Provides a common framework across the region for cross border high-quality, high-speed and reliable electronic communications, and at an affordable price to the end-user • The Protocol is designed to contribute towards the development and promotion of the economic, social and cultural integration of the African Continent • It promotes the need for governments of the region to work together towards this common purpose • African ownership of the Protocol promotes security over the network with minimal non-African interference. • Is a private public partnership between the Governments of the region and the private African telcos • Believed to be the first of its kind in the world, so Africa will have the opportunity to determine best practice

  15. SIGNING OF THE PROTOCOL • On the 20th of August 2006 under the Chairmanship of H.E President Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda, seven countries signed the Protocol in Kigali – the Kigali Protocol. • The Kigali decisions included • Signing of Protocol extended to the 30th of November 2006 (an additional five countries signed). • Countries to ratify the Protocol by June 2007 • Harmonization of National policies to the Protocol by March 2008 • To date 12 countries have signed and these are South Africa, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda Botswana, the DRC and Zimbabwe and Zambia. • Countries that have not signed can accede once the Protocol is enforce

  16. THE PROTOCOL LAYOUT • Definitions • Objectives of the Protocol and General Undertaking • Establishment, Objectives, Ownership and Governance of the Operating Entities/Entities: • Rights and Obligations and Operating Principles of the Operating Entity/Entities: • Policy, Regulatory and Licensing Principles • Financial and Tariffs Principles for the Operating Entity/Entities: • Access to Undersea and Terrestrial Fibre Optic Cable Systems • Dispute Settlement • The Inter-Governmental Assembly and the Implementing Agency • Miscellaneous Provisions:

  17. Chapter 2 – Objectives of the Protocol • To promote and facilitate the provision of ICT broadband infrastructure to support high-quality, high-speed and reliable electronic communications in Eastern and Southern Africa and with the rest of the world at Affordable Price for End Users based on Open Access Principles; • To secure the rollout of broadband open access infrastructure in the Region with the involvement of the private sector. • To facilitate the incorporation and / or utilisation of existing national and / or regional networks, subject to agreement by the IGA and participating Governments where applicable, practicable and / or feasible, into the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network. • To address legal, policy and regulatory obstacles in relation to the provision of cross-border infrastructure and services in the Region and beyond by encouraging the harmonisation of ICT policies and regulatory frameworks in the Region. • To ensure that the infrastructure constructed pursuant to this Protocol is designed to contribute to the development and promotion of the economic, social and cultural integration of the African Continent as envisaged in the African Union Constitutive Act.

  18. Chapter 3 - Establishment, Objectives, Ownership and Governance of the Operating Entities/Entities • This chapter stipulates the structure of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) (also referred to as operating entity/entities) that will construct, maintain, own and operate the Network. There will be three types of SPV • Pure SPV (terrestrial) • Hybrid SPV with African-led SPVs and direct investors (submarine) • Each SPVs shall have a shareholders agreement which shall include: • The formation of the SPV boards, the directors of which shall be from the private African telcos shareholders, with the Governments of the region, represented by the Inter Governmental Assembly (IGA) occupying one seat on the boards. • The establishment of a “golden share” which be held in trust by the IGA, and which share shall be exercised in the event that there is a deviation from the principles of NEPAD.

  19. Chapter 4 - Rights and Obligations and Operating Principles of the Operating Entity/Entities • Highlighting manner in which Operating Entity/Entities will operate in line with Protocol • Countries are committed to giving the entity/entities, within their territories, certain specific rights and obligations. • Adhere to principles of open access, transparency and non-discrimination • This chapter entitles the SPVs to lease non telecommunications infrastructure or capacity it might need for its operations, as well as entitles it to lease out its infrastructure to authorised service providers in the signatory countries territory.

  20. Chapter 5 - Policy, Regulatory and Licensing Principles • Countries are required to amend existing policy and regulatory frameworks and or promulgate new policy and regulatory frameworks to ensure that they are harmonised and aligned to the network in terms of the Protocol. • Alignment of existing national licensing framework and/ or introduce new licensing frameworks to ensure open access principle • Align and where necessary introduce new legislation to allow for the licensing of the SPVS, and thusensure that the SPV is licensed and/or authorised to operate in respective countries territories. • Provides for license fee conditions • Initial 15-year term • administration fee-based • Exemption from turn-over related licensing fees

  21. Chapter 6 - Financial and Tariffs Principles for the Operating Entity/Entities • This chapter determines charges for wholesale bandwidth and in so doing stipulates that charges will be based on capacity and be independent of distance. In other words, on the network, the charge for a call to Egypt will be similar to that to Mozambique on the network. • It binds countries to open access principles related tariffs and charges of services. • The chapter proposes the Capital structure of Equity, Debt and/or Quasi-Equity. The Quasi equity facility will allow for the ware-housing of shares for companies that will not be in a position to buy their shares upfront, but may wish to do so at a later stage. • The chapter also calls for there to be no transit charges for regional cross boarder traffic by SPV

  22. Chapter 7 - Access to Undersea and Terrestrial Fibre Optic Cable Systems • Countries with landing points for existing or planned cables shall licence the SPV(s) to ensure them access to such cables • In cases where the landing points are not part of the network, coastal countries shall endeavour to ensure that the charges on the SPV(s) are affordable, fair and transparent. • Where a country is a signatory, they are obliged to conform to the principles of the Protocol whether they or a telcom company from their country is a shareholder in the SPV(s) or not.

  23. Chapter 8 - Dispute Settlement • The proposed approach is to encourage amicable dispute resolution, if in 30 days resolution is not reached, resort has to be made to arbitration in accordance with the rules of the African Union

  24. Chapter 9 - The Inter-Governmental Assembly and the Implementing Agency • The Inter Governmental Assembly (IGA) is made up of senior officials of participating governments of the region. • The IGA shall appoint 1 rep to the SPV boards, who holds a golden share used to ensure that the principles of NEPAD are adhered to and to protect the interests of the governments • The secretariat of the IGA shall be the NEPAD e-Africa Commission (eAC) • eAC will be the implementing agency of the Protocol

  25. Chapter 10 - Miscellaneous Provisions • This chapter deals with general issues such as the status of annexes, amendments to the protocol, signature, ratification and accession and the entry into force.

  26. Developments since the signing of the Protocol (the meeting of the 1st IGA) The IGA has met on two occasions: In the 1st IGA meeting held in Tshwane in December 2006: • Zimbabwe was elected as the Chair with Zambia and Uganda as the 1st and 2nd Deputy chairs respectively • Governments were requested to submit the names of their telcos that wish to participate in the SPVs

  27. Developments since the signing of the Protocol (the meeting of the 2nd IGA) In the second IGA meeting in Zimbabwe in March 2007. • The IGA discussed the issue of the signing the EASSy Construction and Maintenance Agreement (C&MA), the equivalent of a shareholders agreement. • The governments of the IGA stated that the telcos in their countries signed the EASSy C&MA because Telkom South Africa has signed. • The IGA requested “South Africa would take up the issue with Telkom SA and its other companies that had signed, resulting in these companies reversing their actions”

  28. Events between the first and the second IGA meetings • A group of African telecommunications companies, including Telkom SA have signed a Construction and Maintanance agreement for the East African Submarine system (EASSy). MTN signed as MTN Uganda and VSNL signed as VSNL international. • The EASSy cable is not compliant with the Protocol

  29. Meeting with South African companies that are signatories to the EASSy • In pursuance of the IGA decision the Director General of the Department of Communications met with the Chief Executive Officers of Telkom, Vodacom and MTN regarding their signing of the EASSY C&MA and its implications. • Although the South African telecommunications companies indicated that this would be difficult to do on their own without the other EASSy companies, they indicated their willingness to work within the Protocol. • The companies indicated their interest to participate in the NEPAD ICT broadband infrastructure project. • Some of the companies indicated that they would still like to continue with EASSy, but to do so within government policy. • DG met with Neotel (VSNL signed)

  30. Takes into account that there is an uneven balance of forces in international connectivity which is not favourable to Africa International connectivity accounts for a big portion of the cost to communicate The Protocol allows us to prioritize the NEPAD network and other South African cables It ensures the development of South Africa and the continent in the context of NEPAD It ensures that the bulk of money generated by African traffic remains in and contributes to the development of the continent THE PROTOCOL

  31. THANK YOU

  32. Ministerial decisions June 2006 Decisions • The Republic of Rwanda should be the domicilium of the submarine (EASSy) Special Purpose Vehicle. • The inclusion of Mauritius. • A Policy and Regulatory Framework, which is embedded in a Protocol to be signed by countries. The Protocol should be signed, under the auspices of the African Union. • The structure of the SPVs of the Terrestrial and Submarine components of the network. • The Fast Tracking the implementation of the regional network. August 2006 SADC Decision • Support for the project

  33. Ministerial decisions August 2006 Decisions • Protocol signing extended to 30 November 2006 thereafter interested states to accede once ratified by 51% • Protocol to be ratified by 30 June 2007 by all signatory countries through national processes • Alignment of all national ICT policies and regulations to the Protocol by 30 March 2008

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