PROMOTING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ICT

1. Presentation to the ITU Africa Region Development Forum 2012 Kigali, May 9-11, 2012 By Dr. Edmund Katitit Acting Head, NEPAD e-Africa Programme PROMOTING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ICT

2. NEPAD e-Africa Programme(formerly known as the NEPAD e-Africa Commission) The NEPAD e-Africa Programme is the ICT Task Team of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) The NPCA is the technical body of the African Union and has been given the mandate to: • Facilitate and coordinate the implementation of the continental and regional priority programmes and projects; • Mobilize resources and partners in support of the implementation of Africa’s priority programmes and projects; • Conduct and coordinate research and knowledge management; • Monitor and evaluate the implementation of programmes and projects; and • Advocate on the AU and NEPAD vision, mission and core principles/values.

3. What constitutes equitable access to ICT • ICT is present and widespread across the continent • ICT available reliably (high availability) • ICT is accessible securely • ICT is affordable

4. 1. ICT is present and widespread across the continent • Mobile Networks • Broadband fibre connectivity • Broadband wireless connectivity • Satellite connectivity • Placement of ICT in secondary schools and other public access places • e-Skills development enables meaningful access

5. Regional ICT Infrastructure Challenges • National backbones developed with national rather than regional objectives • Lack of regional licences • Lack or slow transposition of regional and continental policies, directives, guidelines, etc

6. ICT is present and widespread across the continent: PIPA PAP ICT (3 Projects) • ICT Enabling Environment: improved enabling environment will attract public and private sectors to invest in broadband infrastructure. • ICT Terrestrial Connectivity: (Beyond connect Africa Goal 1) • Ensure that every landlocked country has at least two different broadband connections to two submarine cables. • Ensure that every coastal and island country has a submarine landing station. • Internet Exchange Points: This is intended to ensure that the continent has adequate internet nodes to keep local traffic local.

7. 2. ICT available reliably (high availability) PIDA Map Key PIDA Note: Where there is a regional transport or power transmission infrastructure, provision should be made for fibre ducts

8. Tanzania National Backnone Mtukula Sirari Rusumo Namanga Mwanza Kabanga Biharamulo Moshi Shinyanga Arusha Babati Nzega Manyovu Horohoro Kigoma Singida Uvinza Tanga NORTHERN RING WESTERN RING Dodoma Morogoro Iringa Sumbawanga Mbeya Makambako SOUTHERN RING Tunduma Lindi Kasumulo Songea Mtwara Tunduru Mtambaswala

9. Principles underlying the Kigali Protocol • The application of open, non-discriminatory and affordable accessto these networks. • Equitable joint ownership of the backbone infrastructure across the region • Acceptance that cross-border terrestrial and submarine segments can be developed, owned, and maintained by Special Purpose Vehicles(SPVs): Legal entities • Basic Broadband Infrastructure viewed as “public good” • Application of the principle of public private partnerships (PPP) to these networks.

10. 3. ICT is accessible securely • e-Legislation to legalise and guide the use of e-services and e-applications • Regional and national Cyber-security programmes • Establishment of regional and national Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT) • Efficient Management of Spectrum

11. 4. ICT is affordable • Market liberalisation • Universal Access Mechanisms • Affordable interconnection • Affordable roaming • Sharing of infrastructure • Abundance of key resources like bandwidth • Open and non-discriminatory access to basic infrastructure

12. Thank you for your attention