1 st FEAST-Feasibility study for AfricaConnect project of the Lighthouse programme project In the AUC-EC 8 th partnership

Creative destruction, Leapfrogging and Tunneling through the Kuznets Curve

Björn Pehrson Malaga 2009-06-09

FEAST-AfricaConnect

FEAST is a 10 month feasibility study, paving the way for AfricaConnect, the first of 19 projects in the AU-EU 8 th partnership “Lighthouse program” on Science and Technology The goal of AfricaConnect is to connect National Research and Education Networks (NRENS) in Sub-Sahara Africa • To each other • To global Research and Education resources via GÉANT.

The last sub-region of the world to be connected.

Pending historical moments

• • • From VSAT and SAT-3 to Open Access Open Access Submarine cables arriving – – – SEACOM 27 June 2009 (East coast) TEAMS August 2009 (Mombasa-Fujairah) EASSy mid 2009 (East coast) The Kigali protocol against gate keeping

Operations Start 27June 2009

www.seacom.mu

EASSy WIOCC Operations start Mid-2010

www.eassy.org

15 M € Budget (12+3) 2009-2012

 EC contributes 12 M €, Beneficiaries 3M€  Potential co-funders  WB (RCIP, STHEP), ADB,...(any but EC-funds)  AfricaConnect Project components    Connectivity for academic peering 11M € Capacity building of human resources 2M € Application development to stimulate usage 2M €

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FEAST concerns

NREN Readiness – – – – – Organisation and human resources acceptable use and connection policies, Interconnected campus networks of member institutions Number plan from Afrinic Lighthouse demonstrators Policy and regulatory environment – – Political endorsement of NREN Licenses/permits, if needed Availability of affordable infrastructure – – Dark fiber, Wavelengths or Managed capacity Competitive supply chain

• • • • • • Leapfrogging opportunities:Tunneling through Kuznets Curve – Agriculture More crop per drop – Education E-learning – Entrepreneurship New livelihoods Environment – – Water monitoring Climate change Health – – – Hiv/aids, Malaria, TB research Drug control Live transmission from surgical operations for remote consultation or e-learning ........

Picture from DN

• • •

Challenges

Political awareness and Regulatory Reform – Research and higher education key drivers towards the knowledge society – Transit to Internet (at a cost) vs Academic peering (free) Creative destruction to support transformation – – – From low volume/high price profit centre market To high volume/low price utility market Via competition, cannibalization, supporting soft money Capacity building – – – Training and retention of staff Quadrupling higher education, or more.

Training

• • •

What can you do?

Help raise political awareness about the special need of research and higher education institutions – – Lighthouse demonstrator applications Drivers of the knowledge society Support the transformation of the communication market – The value ladder of public ownership of infrastructure • • • • Immediate return on investment Savings on own communications bill Increased industrial dynamics and tax revenues Decreasing social costs Education and training – Reinforcement of academic curricula on communication networks – – NREN twinning Scholarships