A single telecommunications code for Africa is desirable and will help foster development, Alpha Oumar Konare, chairman of the Commission of the African Union (AU), said yesterday.
One code for Africa was "fundamental for its development", he said, however, many obstacles had been placed in the way of seeing such a code put in place.
Speaking at a press conference on the first day of Microsoft`s Government Leadership Forum, in Cape Town, Konare said: "In the US, people just have to dial one number. It makes sense that there should only be one number, or dialling code for Africa."
Konare, who is the former president of Mali, said linking Africa`s telecommunications infrastructures through a satellite link, such as V-SAT, would enable a single continental code to happen.
"I have been fighting for this for 20 years and people are saying it is impossible. However, it is their vested interests that are making it impossible. Telecommunications earnings are going into the coffers of the political parties and this must stop. Sacrifices have to be made and then we can realise the earnings later," he said.
Studies to determine the feasibility of having one dialling code for Africa would need to be conducted. "I have been told these can cost up to $3 million and can take a year. So what? We should do it," he said.
It had also been suggested, Konare said, that two codes should be used for Africa. "Even if it is two numbers we have to dial, it will be better than the present system," he said.
Telecommunications analysts have long pointed out that calls from international destinations have been a source of foreign exchange for African governments, who generally own their incumbent telcos.
Share
