Does anyone have more details on this? thanks http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=30398 Central African Backbone project goes ahead The World Bank has approved a new project called the Central African Backbone (CAB), which aims to increase the geographical reach and usage of regional broadband network services in up to eleven central African countries, whilst reducing access prices. The initial phase of the CAB will take place in Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Chad, where the connectivity component of the project will leverage the existing fibre-optic network laid along the Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline to form the core CAB network and support the deployment of interconnected networks to establish a regional cable infrastructure. Aside from the connectivity aims of the CAB, other components include development of e-government, strengthening of regulatory frameworks and assistance in restructuring government telecoms institutions with the aim of liberalising markets. The World Bank said in a statement that central African countries currently offer the worst quality and most expensive internet service in the continent. Eight additional countries are eligible to take part in the CAB, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome & Principe and Sudan. The project, which is being supported by a partnership between the World Bank and the African Development Bank, is expected to achieve its initial aims in Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Chad by 2016, but as its scope widens it is expected to run for ten years, with total investment reaching around USD215 million. The CAB aims to raise USD98 million from the private sector, with help from the International Finance Corporation. The initial USD26.2 million lending approved by the World Bank is split as follows: Cameroon USD9.9 million, Central African Republic USD7.3 million, Chad USD9 million. -- Joe Mucheru Regional Lead, Sub-Saharan Africa Google Kenya 7th Floor, Purshottam Place Westlands Road P O Box 66217 - 00800 Westlands Nairobi, KENYA +254 20 360 1701 Office +254 20 360 1100 Fax +254 20 360 1000 Switch Board (Regus) +254 722522135 Mobile http://www.google.com This email may be confidential or privileged. If you received this communication by mistake, please don't forward it to anyone else, please erase all copies and attachments, and please let me know that it went to the wrong person. Thanks.