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$58 Million Agreement With the World Bank to Improve Communication Services [press release](AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) On Monday, 21 May, the Gabonese Republic entered into a $58 million loan agreement with the World Bank in order to finance the installation of an ACE (Africa Coast to Europe) submarine optical fibre cable. The loan agreement was signed by Luc Oyoubi, Minister for Economy, Employment and Sustainable Development, and Zouera Youssoufou, World Bank Representative in Gabon. This agreement is part of the Gabonese President's policy aiming to establish Gabon as a leader in connectivity in the sub-region. The development of digital infrastructure is a key element in the "Service-Orientated Gabon" pillar of his overall development strategy. This project, named "CAB4", aims to increase the geographic coverage of high bandwidth networks and to lower the cost of communications services in the Republic of Gabon. Faced with a shortage of private initiatives geared towards improving the quality of these services, the State has decided to pursue funding in order to launch its "broadband for all" scheme. These investments will finance the installation of optical fibre cables, giving Gabonese people across most of the country equitable and affordable access to broadband. The Gabonese Republic is one of the only African countries with two submarine entry points. This means that Gabon can provide greater security and better connection across the entire sub-region. The agreement will also enable the sub-regional connectivity project with the Republic of Congo to be launched, which will eventually interconnect Gabonese and Congolese networks. Improved service for all The agreement builds on the work already started to open up the regions and offer the same services to all people. Around twenty cities will benefit from these investments. Using the latest technology, operators will be able to improve service quality while reducing access costs. These investments will also enable unrestricted Internet access to be distributed fairly across the Gabonese population. This represents a real opportunity for Internet service providers and mobile phone operators. Reliable infrastructure for growth The development of digital technology is an indispensable part of the President' policy to turn Gabon into an emerging country. According to estimates by the World Bank, each 10% increase in broadband in a developing country could boost GDP growth by 1.38% (Report: Information and Communications for Development 2009). Since rising to power in 2009, the President has continued to emphasise the importance of providing Gabon with reliable infrastructure in order to boost economic growth. "The accelerated development of our telecommunications infrastructure, in addition to the other traditional basic infrastructure, will help to ensure the growth of our economy between now and 2016, with a significant reduction in communication costs and widespread Internet access." The implementation of the CAB4 project will be led by a Commission in charge of coordinating and monitoring the country-wide construction of the National Optical Fibre Backbone. This Commission will be made up of representatives from the Ministry for Economy, Employment and Sustainable Development, the Ministry for Digital Economy, Communications and the Post Office, AGNT (the national body in charge of major works), ARCEP (the regulatory body for electronic communications and postal services) and ANINF (the national body in charge of digital infrastructure and frequencies). This funding is due to last for 5 years, and should produce visible results within 3 years. Copyright Office of the President of Gabon. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). |