Reports
Rural ICT projects get boost in Africa
The projects, largely based in the telecommunications sector, are aimed at connecting rural areas to cities, as well as to international networks, in order to accelerate the growth of ICTs in the region.
Projects in Zambia and Kenya will have far-reaching consequences. For example, instead of doctors and nurses from rural areas going to cities for education, courses can be delivered online.
Remote hospitals in Africa have not been attractive to doctors and nurses because opportunities for career development are limited. The business community has not been investing in rural areas because of their distance to markets. But with online courses and e-commerce now available, remote hospitals may be more attractive to doctors and nurses, and it is hoped that the business community will invest in rural areas, which can now sell products online.
The major contribution to the health sector will be the ability to deliver health services to remote rural areas through online consultation. With computers and Internet connectivity, a doctor can take a photo, scan it and send it to a doctor in a referral hospital for expert opinion.
The Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ), the country's telecom sector regulator, on April 17 signed an agreement for a rural telecommunication fund. The Kenyan government has already launched a project that will connect nine provinces.
CAZ acting CEO Richard Mwanza said an agreement with Macha Linknet will finance the rural multipurpose telecenters in the southern part of the country. The project, Mwanza said, will initially involve four provinces but will later expand.
CAZ has been setting aside funds from license fees toward the development of ICT services in rural areas.
"The CAZ [is] now ready to implement the universal access program in rural Zambia to provide ICT services," Mwanza said.
The model, Mwanza said, is an initiative for a VSAT (Very Small Aperture Technology) service operated by the malaria research center located in the small town of Macha, which eventually grew to a multifaceted community-based resource servicing the needs of private and government institutions in the community.
Mwanza said the CAZ now wants to replicate the model to other parts of the country so that they can also benefit from such an integrated ICT solution, offering a variety of services.
The CAZ last year gave a go-ahead to the disbursement of the rural telecommunication fund amounting to nearly US$4 million for the development of rural telecom infrastructure after the Zambian government pressed for the quick release of the funds.
Initially CAZ said it could not disburse the funds because administrative procedures, including the appointment of a projects manager, had to be accomplished prior to the distribution.
In addition to the $4 million, the Zambian government in its 2008 national budget set aside almost $1 million for rural infrastructure development and access to ICT by the rural population
Source - Digital Opportunity Channel
India funds power projects for African ICT
In addition to funding the development of various ICT projects in Southern Africa, India has also started pumping money into electricity generation projects to boost the region's power supply. Due to lack of investment in renewable energy and electricity generation, several Southern African countries including Zambia, Namibia and Malawi are faced with increased power shortages affecting ICT equipment, particularly in rural areas.
To ensure the region has enough electricity, Indian Vice President Mohammed Hamid Ansari has signed agreements with Southern African countries including Zambia and Malawi for electric power generation and renewable energy projects.
Ansari's tour of Southern African countries last week came in the wake of India's sponsorship of a pan-African e-network project. The project aims to connect all African countries to satellite and fiber-optic networks and to provide telemedicine, tele-education and video conferencing services for all heads of state in Africa as well as for students and doctors.
Indian companies are also providing computer training programs to Botswana and South Africa. The New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) plans to equip schools in Africa to promote e-learning projects, but power problems stand in the way.
Many African governments have been facing a challenge raising funds to buy generators to power ICT equipment. However, Indian companies are moving in to help the situation through investments in ICT and electricity generation projects.
"The Zambian government is providing a conducive environment for Indian companies' investments," said Zambian Vice President George Kunda.
In August last year, Zambia joined more than 30 countries in Africa that will benefit from the pan-African e-network plan. The project, which was first launched in South Africa, Mauritius, Ethiopia and Ghana, will cost the Indian government more than US$125 million, although the project will likely demand $1 billion in total.
After five years, the Indian government will withdraw from the project to allow African countries to run it on their own, using their own financial and human resources.
Ansari's visit to Zambia saw the Indian government giving Zambia a $50 million loan facility to develop the 120-megawatt Itezhi Tezhi hydro power station, aimed at increasing the country's power generation capacity to power ICT projects, among others. The Itezhi Tezhi hydro power project is a joint venture between Zambia's state-owned power utility company, Zesco, and Tata Africa Holdings, an Indian company involved in ICT and electric power generation in Africa.
In Southern Africa, Tata Communications already owns a 56 percent stake in South Africa's second national operator, Neotel, and there are plans by the company to expand its communication services in many countries in Africa, especially those countries that are getting financial support from India.
"The future growth areas that Tata Africa is looking at are information technology and electricity generation," said Raman Dhawan, managing director at Tata Africa Holdings.
Considering China is making great inroads into the African ICT market through ZTE and Huawei, Dhawan noted that a possible way for India to increase its presence in Africa was for public and private companies to join hands.
To showcase its muscle and financial ability to further expand in the African telecom market, Tata has also set up a point of presence (POP) in Nairobi, Kenya, to route traffic to other African countries without passing through London.
Source - IDG World News