WB to help develop high-speed Internet in Africa

(AFP) 

GENEVA — The World Bank said on Tuesday
it would invest 215 million dollars (146 million euros)
to help develop high-speed Internet
infrastructure in central Africa and make
the service more accessible to people in the region.

"This programme will support the countries
of the Central African region in developing
their high-speed telecommunications
backbone infrastructure to increase
the availability of high-speed Internet
and reduce end-user prices,"
it said in a statement.

People living in Central Africa pay up
to twice as much in monthly Internet fees
than elsewhere in Africa, while compared
to the rest of the world,
they pay up to three times as much.

"Until now, people in Central Africa have
the lowest quality and highest cost Internet
and telephone services in Africa,"
said the World Bank.

Cameroon, Chad and Central African Republic
will join in the first phase of the 10-year-long
programme, which will also help
these countries to harmonise their laws
regulating the internet and communications sector.

A further eight countries -- Republic of Congo,
Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Gabon, Niger, Nigeria,
Sao Tome and Principe,
and Sudan -- have also met
the criteria to participate, added the World Bank.

Link here
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