<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">fyi - sorry for corss posting.<DIV><BR><DIV><BR><DIV>Begin forwarded message:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>From: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Wairagala Wakabi <<A href="mailto:w_wakabi@yahoo.com">w_wakabi@yahoo.com</A>></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Date: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">28 November 2007 17:35:28 GMT+03:00</FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>To: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><A href="mailto:Fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org">Fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org</A></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Subject: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><B>[Fibre-for-africa] Fwd: EASSy reaches financial close</B></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Reply-To: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <<A href="mailto:fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org">fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org</A>></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> <BR><B><I>Press <<A href="mailto:press@afdb.org">press@afdb.org</A>></I></B> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE class="replbq" style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <DIV class="Section1"> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><B><FONT face="Times-Bold" size="4"><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Bold">East African Submarine Cable System reaches financial close<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></B></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><B><FONT face="Arial" color="black" size="2"><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The African Development Bank Signs Loans for the EASSy Cable Project<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></B></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><STRONG><B><U><FONT face="Verdana" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><O:P><SPAN style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></O:P></SPAN></FONT></U></B></STRONG></DIV> <DIV class="MsoBodyText" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"><SPAN lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Tunis, 23 November 2007</SPAN></FONT></B><SPAN lang="EN-GB"> – </SPAN><B><FONT color="black"><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: black">The African Development Bank (AfDB</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">), along with other participating development financial institutions (DFIs) have signed loan agreements for the East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy), the landmark fibre-optic cable project that will connect 22 coastal and land-locked African countries to each other and the rest of the world with high-quality Internet and international communications services.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"> <O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">EASSy is an initiative sponsored by 25 telecommunications operators, most of which are African. The project will construct and operate a submarine fibre-optic cable along the east coast of Africa that will run for 10,000 kilometers from the continent’s southern tip to the African horn, connecting <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">South Africa</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>, <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Mozambique</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>, <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Madagascar</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>, <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Tanzania</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>, <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Kenya</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>, <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Somalia</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>, <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Djibouti</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>, and <ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Sudan</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1:PLACE>. Another 13 adjoining countries will also be linked to the system as terrestrial backbone networks including Botswana, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Rwanda, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.</SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Arial" color="black" size="2"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">The EASSy project will also provide the last link to completely encircle <ST1:PLACE w:st="on">Africa</ST1:PLACE> with high-capacity fiber-optic telecommunications networks. <O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">The AfDB’s financing will be channeled through the EASSy Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that is also known as the West Indian Ocean Cable Company, or WIOCC, and consists of a $14.5 million senior loan. The cable will transform the telecommunications landscape in the region as it improves access for 250 million Africans and substantially reduces costs for consumers and businesses. Construction will begin in December 2007 and the EASSy cable is expected to be fully operational in time for the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup to be hosted by <ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">South Africa</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1:PLACE>. <O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">The AfDB, the French development Agency (AFD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), Germany’s Development Bank (KfW) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank group will provide the project’s entire long-term loan financing of $70.7 million, with $14.5 million to come from the AfDB. The total project cost is $235 million and the balance will be provided by the 25 private telecommunications operators wgho will operate the cable as a consortium. These Telecom operators, including 21 African operators, will be the main users of capacity on the cable.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Contrary to previous cables in the African continent that were built on the “closed-club” structure, EASSy is built on a Hybrid SPV Development model. This model will allow smaller operators to participate in the cable consortium at reduced individual entry investments. EASSy also adheres to the main development objectives of “Open Access", Non-discriminatory and Affordable pricing. The cable will act as a crucial medium of internet connectivity to carry telecom traffic for all African operators from the Eastern and Southern African markets to onward connecting Cable networks in Europe, Asia and the <ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Americas</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1:PLACE>.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">After years of collaboration between the African Development Bank, World Bank Group and other global and regional development institutions, governments, and the region’s private sector, the project brings together the public and private sectors to expand Telecommunications Infrastructure. EASSy provides a model for future generations of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) that will be necessary to create the enabling environment for private sector participation in <ST1:PLACE w:st="on">Africa</ST1:PLACE>.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"> The EASSy project will also foster regional integration in line with NEPAD and the AfDB’s strategic objectives. The EASSy project will contribute to the socio-economic development of the region through the expansion of inter-Africa trade, facilitated by lower costs and better communication. The expected increase in employment and income for the regions will help to reduce poverty and lead to sustainable development. Additionally, the EASSy project will help in breaking the barriers of social and geographical isolation and assist the population in its quest to access information and continued education.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoFooter" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 28.35pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 14.15pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-margin-top-alt: 4.0pt" align="center"><FONT face="Arial" size="1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; LETTER-SPACING: 1pt">CONTACTS:</SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Arial" size="1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> E-mail: <A href="mailto:e.chinje@afdb.org">e.chinje@afdb.org</A><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoFooter" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 21.3pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 7.05pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-margin-top-alt: 4.0pt" align="center"><FONT face="Webdings" color="#018749" size="1"><SPAN lang="FR" style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: #018749; FONT-FAMILY: Webdings">4</SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Arial" color="#018749" size="1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: #018749; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Private Sector Department– Tel.: +216 71 10 28 43 – Fax: +216 71 83 41 78 – E-mail: <A href="mailto:private-sector@afdb.org">private-sector@afdb.org</A> </SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Webdings" color="#018749" size="1"><SPAN lang="FR" style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: #018749; FONT-FAMILY: Webdings">3</SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Webdings" color="#018749" size="1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: #018749; FONT-FAMILY: Webdings"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoFooter" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 21.3pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 7.05pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-margin-top-alt: 4.0pt" align="center"><FONT face="Webdings" color="#018749" size="1"><SPAN lang="FR" style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: #018749; FONT-FAMILY: Webdings">4</SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Arial" color="#018749" size="1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: #018749; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Internal and External Communications Division– Tel.: +216 71 10 29 16 – Fax: +216 71 10 37 52 – E-mail: <A href="mailto:comuadb@afdb.org">comuadb@afdb.org</A> </SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Webdings" color="#018749" size="1"><SPAN lang="FR" style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: #018749; FONT-FAMILY: Webdings">3</SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Arial" color="#018749" size="1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: #018749; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoFooter" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 21.3pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 7.05pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-margin-top-alt: 4.0pt" align="center"><FONT face="Arial" size="1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; TEXT-TRANSFORM: uppercase; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Press releases are also posted on ADB Website at: <A href="http://www.afdb.org">www.afdb.org</A></SPAN></FONT><FONT size="1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; TEXT-TRANSFORM: uppercase"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times-Roman" size="3"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal"><FONT face="Arial" size="2"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR><BR><DIV> <BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><HR size="1">Never miss a thing. <A href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs"> Make Yahoo your homepage.</A><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; 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