The process of integrating Africa’s telecommunications by connecting networks across the continent is going through another rough patch, as ministers from several countries take time to study a protocol that provides a framework agreement for several projects.Telecommunications ministers from Zambia, Mozambique, Sudan and Kenya have declined to endorse the protocol, which among other things has provisions for building the East Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSY) project. EASSY was established to build a submarine cable system that will provide fiber-optic telecom facilities on the east coast of Africa and link northern and southern African international gateways.In August, regional information and communication technology (ICT) ministers signed the protocol. But now, the hesitation of some telecom ministers may delay or curtail the project.“More time is needed to consult more widely and analyze the benefits of the protocol,” said Zambian Minister of Communication and Transport Peter Daka, in the wake of a meeting two weeks ago in Cape Town, South Africa, attended by regional telecom ministers. The protocol was hammered together to enable eastern and southern African countries to work together to develop the region’s telecom sector, ensure a level playing field and equal access to infrastructure and to bring down the high cost of communications.The e-Africa Commission, which has been promoting the protocol, is pushing ministers to endorse the protocol by mid-November. The commission operates under the aegis of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), founded by the Organization of African Unity to develop an integrated socioeconomic development framework for Africa. The US$200 million EASSY project was expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2007 though it is already behind schedule by months.Failure to ratify the protocol also may delay Comtel, a broadband infrastructure project spearheaded by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in conjunction with NEPAD. It’s agenda is to connect 21 eastern and southern African countries to Europe and Asia.-Michael Malakata , IDG News Service (Lusaka Bureau)Related Links: Bono Pushes Red Apple iPod in Africa AIDS Fight ‘$100 Laptop’ to Roll Off Production Lines in Q2 ‘07Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost Who’s paying your data integration tax? Reducing your data integration tax will get you one step closer to value—let’s start today. By Sandrine Ghosh Jun 05, 2023 4 mins Data Management feature 13 essential skills for accelerating digital transformation IT leaders too often find themselves behind on business-critical transformation efforts due to gaps in the technical, leadership, and business skills necessary to execute and drive change. By Stephanie Overby Jun 05, 2023 12 mins Digital Transformation IT Skills tip 3 things CIOs must do now to accurately hit net-zero targets More than a third of the world’s largest companies are making their net-zero targets public, yet nearly all will fail to hit them if they don’t double the pace of emissions reduction by 2030. This puts leading executives, CIOs in particul By Diana Bersohn and Mauricio Bermudez-Neubauer Jun 05, 2023 5 mins CIO Accenture Emerging Technology case study Merck Life Sciences banks on RPA to streamline regulatory compliance Automated bots assisted in compliance, thereby enabling the company to increase revenue and save precious human hours, freeing up staff for higher-level tasks. By Yashvendra Singh Jun 05, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation Robotic Process Automation Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe