Does anyone have more details on this? thanks<br><br><a href="http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=30398">http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=30398</a><br><h1>Central African Backbone project goes ahead</h1>

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.<br><br>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 &amp; 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.<br><br>-- <br>Joe Mucheru<br>Regional Lead, Sub-Saharan Africa<br>Google Kenya<br>7th Floor, Purshottam Place<br>Westlands Road<br>P O Box 66217 - 00800 Westlands <br>Nairobi, <br>
KENYA<br><br>+254 20 360 1701 Office<br>+254 20 360 1100 Fax<br>+254 20 360 1000 Switch Board (Regus)<br><br>+254 722522135 Mobile<br><br><br><a href="http://www.google.com">http://www.google.com</a><br><br>This email may be confidential or privileged.  If you received this communication by mistake, please don&#39;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.<br>
<br><br>