FCFA 30 billion for optic fiber project

The launch of the 2nd phase of the Central African backbone (Cab) project funded by the African Development Bank (ADB), was signed on November 30, 2015, in Yaoundé.

The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (MINPOSTEL), Minette Libom Lii Likeng, represented the Cameroon government.

FCFA 24.247 billion was the loans given by the representative of the ADB Cameroon, Racine Kane, for the 2nd phase of its project Cab.

According to the MINPOSTEL, the 916 km of optical fiber to neighbouring countries such as Cameroon, Congo, Central African Republic and Nigeria, the Global Environment Fund (GEF), sum up to 1 530 million Euros. The State of Cameroon will invest nearly FCFA 7 billion.

Taking the first speech, Pierre Sonfack, coordinator of Cab-Cameroon project while outlining the activities eligible for financing ADB, also advised the three components of the project that ordinates. For the physical aspect, he said, it is to increase connectivity in the subregion.

"The application layer promotes good governance through online applications," added Pierre Sonfack as a reminder that this segment will support the Cameroon Postal Services (Campost) for online mail and e-banking.

The electronic management support documents of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through Integrated Agricultural Centers (Cia), according to Pierre Sonfack, with the aim of Cab-Cameroon project. Also included in the good graces of the project are Women Promotion Centres.

As a result of this, Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa, Minister of Women's Empowerment and the Family was present in the morning of the last day of November in Yaounde.

Lastly, for the environmental component, the Cab project would improve the institutional framework. "The three layers will finally urge the coordinator of Cab-Cameroon project to synergistically evolve."

The representative of the ADB representative in Yaounde asked the Cameroonian authorities to facilitate the procedures so that funds dedicated to financing the project Cab, be released in January, according to the standards of the ADB.

Master of the house, Mrs Libom Lii Likeng, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, said the Cab project launched yesterday in Yaoundé, has four phases, while the first phase of the Cab-Cameroon project started in 2009, will be completed in late Q1 2016.

Minispostel's analysis stated that the establishment of a digital center in Cameroon has cost 5.095 billion FCFA, and physical implementation rate was 92% while the financial implementation rate was of 89.94%.

"Moreover, the implementation of the entire Cab-Cameroon project will promote people's access to Tic (Information Technology and Communication), and reducing the cost of access to telecommunication services in the sub-region," Minette Libom Lii Likeng explained.