Namibia and Botswana to co-operate on telecoms

Windohoek - Namibia and Botswana are mulling joining up to an initiative in the telecommunications sector to link the south-western part of Africa to Europe, Botswana's President Festus Mogae said on Thursday.

The two are considering joining the West African Festoon Systems (WAFS), which has been set up under the African Union's New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), which would help Angola, Namibia, Botswana and others benefit from the most modern communication technology, Mogae said in Windhoek.

"Botswana will join this initiative should Namibia consider to become part of the project", said Mogae.

The initiative intends to establish a submarine optical fibre cable system along the west coast of Africa, which will need to be accessible to inland land-locked countries via broadband links from the submarine landing points.

A study was commissioned by the NEPAD e-Africa Commission in June 2004 with funding from the World Bank, to promote the integration and rationalisation of Africa's terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure development.

This is seen as vital to achieving cost-effective and reliable broadband networks across the continent.

"We have mandated our ministers responsible for telecommunications to work out modalities for co-operation in this important project", Namibian president Hifikepunye Pohamba said.

"This is urgent bearing in mind the deadline of next month for countries to join this initiative", Pohamba added.