The Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System Network is expected to go into service in the second half of 2007, says John Sihra, the project coordinator.
Sihra was delivering a progress report this morning at the opening ceremony of the multinational Working Group and Project Management Committee meetings in Sandton.
Delegates from governments and over 20 international telecoms operators gathered at the week-long meeting, hosted by Sentech, to plan the roll-out of the long-awaited network.
Sihra says while the original time scales that were set in Nairobi in 2003 when the project was first conceived have slipped, the project is now on track.
He also spoke about the need to finalise financing for the project. So far, organisations such as World Bank IFC Group, Development Funding Agencies, the African Development Bank, the Development Bank of South Africa and European Union have committed to funding the project. Sihra says an agreement has been signed with a financial institution to provide advice.
Accomplishments to date
According to Sihra, the results of submissions received in November 2005 for tenders will be announced in the second quarter of 2006. He also notes that the project would not be successful without the participation of landlocked African countries.
The network has also begun to attract the interest of international telecoms companies, with British Telecoms and Saudi Arabia Telecoms joining the project. Countries such as Seychelles and Mauritius have also signed up.
In her opening address this morning, Sentech CEO Dr Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane urged the working group to combine diligence with urgency.
"Deliberations should not take so long that your competitors move on and deliver a different product from the one you planned," she said.
She also reminded them that detractors were hoping for them to fail and it was important that they bring out an affordable system for the people of Africa as soon as possible.
The results of the deliberations will be announced at a media briefing early next week.
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