The Pan-African E-Network: South-South Capacity Building

The Pan-African E-Network African Union initiative estimated at INR5429 million envisages setting up a network connecting Indian institutions with the 53 African countries, through satellite and fibre optic links (http://www.panafricanenetwork.com/). The network is designed to have 169 VSAT terminals, with 3 VSAT terminals in each country to provide e-education, e-health and Heads of State connectivity with a satellite hub in Senegal.

The e-education services will be provided from 7 reputed universities in India and 5 leading universities in Africa. The e-health services for specialist healthcare services in Africa will be provided through 12 hospitals in India and 5 in Africa. The project is conceived as a mechanism triggering e-education and e-health services that should be sustainable in Africa. African countries should be able to carry on with their own services after 5 years.

The pilot project in Ethiopia has been successful. 40 students in Addis Ababa and Haramaya universities are taking the MBA course from IGNOU at New Delhi through tele-education. The Black Lion and the Nekempte hospitals are receiving online medical consultation from medical specialists of CARE Hospital in Hyderabad in India. It is expected to scale up quickly. By 2009, 32 African countries have signed agreements with Telecommunications Consultants India Limited to implement the Pan-African E-Network. ICT has been estimated to be the main growth area in India-Africa trade relations.

Source: Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL).