1. FEAST-Feasibility study for AfricaConnect 1 st 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

2. 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.

4. 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

6. Operations Start 27June 2009 www.seacom.mu

7. EASSy WIOCC Operations start Mid-2010 www.eassy.org

11. 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€

12. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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