Highway Africa News Agency

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have agreed to collaborate on interconnecting all African capitals and major cities with ICT broadband infrastructure and strengthen connectivity to the rest of the world by 2012.

The announcement comes after Dr. Hamadoun Touré the Secretary-General of the ITU announced that one of the summit goals was to interconnect all African capitals with ICT broadband infrastructure and strengthen connectivity to the rest of the world by 2012 as well as interconnect major African cities by 2015.

Touré and President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Mr Donald Kaberuka announced at the summit that ITU and AfDB will actively mobilize partners and financing to close gaps between major centres in Africa.

The African Development Bank hosts the Secretariat of the African Infrastructure Consortium, which brings together major donors and financial institutions active in the region. This group plays a crucial role in the financing of projects, as well as in ensuring a coherent approach among those involved.

Commenting on the challenge ahead, Kaberuka said that recently, private investment in ICT, especially in mobile phone networks, has had an enormous impact in many parts of Africa, but major gaps remain.

"The development banks and other financing partners have a responsibility to step in where these gaps are holding back development in the region," Kaberuka said.

Touré said that the solution for African development is not charity and that African countries need modern, reliable broadband ICT infrastructure to attract investment for jobs and economic growth.

"This is about economic independence and strengthening Africa?s competitive position in the global economy," Touré said.

To support the implementation of ICT infrastructure projects funded by the AfDB or other interested financing partners, ITU will serve as an executing agency and provide telecommunications expertise and technical assistance, where the need arises. ITU will also mobilize its base of more than 650 Sector Members, including many leading ICT industry players.

To support new ICT infrastructure investments and fill in remaining gaps, ITU and AfDB will jointly undertake feasibility studies and develop project proposals in consultation with Member States and other stakeholders in the region.

With the aim of rationalizing available funds and building on efforts in other sectors, ITU and AfDB will also work together to promote wider integration of ICTs with other major infrastructure investments. This would include laying broadband fibre optic cables alongside transport and energy projects, as well as encouraging innovative infrastructure sharing approaches among telecommunication/ICT operators.

The ITU and the AfDB also agreed to collaborate in assisting countries to develop policies and regulations to encourage new ICT infrastructure investments.