India is helping Africa develop its information and communication technology (ICT) sector through its US$125mn Pan-African e-network project
The Pan-African e-network encompasses 48 African countries. The project is equipped to support e-governance, e-commerce, infotainment, resource mapping and meteorological and other services in the African countries, besides providing VVIP connectivity among the African heads of state through a secure closed satellite network.
The network provides tele-medicine and tele-education to Africans living thousands of miles away by linking them with top educational institutions and super-speciality hospitals in India
Tele-medical consultations have also begun between African doctors and Indian specialists. Nearly 700 continued medical education (CME) lectures have been delivered by Indian doctors from that particular country’s top speciality hospitals.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs is the nodal ministry for the project while Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) is implementing the project on a turnkey basis.
The e-network project is the brainchild of former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam. In September 2004, a pact between India and the African Union (AU) was signed to set up the Pan-African e-network in 2005.
The first phase of the project, covering 11 countries, was inaugurated on 26 February 2009. The second phase was launched in August 2010 bringing 12 more African countries within the ambit of this project.
— By Nawa Mutumweno
