Cable makes big promises for African Internet

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CNN) -- A undersea cable plugging East Africa into high speed Internet access went live Thursday providing an alternative to expensive satellite connections.

The cable links southern Africa to Europe and Asia.

more photos »

SEACOM, the cable provider company, opened up its 17000 kilometer submarine cable, capable of 1.28 terabytes per second, allowing the region true connectivity.

Most Africans rely on expensive and slow satellite connections, which make the use of applications such as YouTube and Facebook extremely trying.

"This is going to reduce the cost of doing business in Africa, within Africa and with international parties" said Suveer Ramdhani, SEACOM spokesman in South Africa.

"The cable is as thin as a hair strand and in one second it can download the same amount of data that 160 people use in a month."

SEACOM, privately funded and 75 % African owned, will provide retail carriers with open source access to inexpensive bandwidth.

It has taken less than three years to complete the mammoth project, providing landing stations at South Africa, Kenya, Madagascar and other points along the east coast of Africa.

But telecoms analyst James Hodge said that some of the more ambitious hopes for the system -- such as impacting the continent's socio-economic problems -- will be long-term, and that initially it will be those already connected who will see the benefits.

The launch was delayed by a month because of increased activity by pirates along parts of the African coast.

Security teams were beefed up to protect the slow moving cable layers.

Neotel, a South African communications network operator is the largest shareholder in SEACOM.

It is also the anchor tenant and the South African landing partner, providing both the coastal landing station and Johannesburg data center for the submarine cable.

Neotel managing director Jay Pandey is excited about the opportunities for growth presented by the SEACOM cable.

"With this cable coming in, the pipe size opens up, so more and more people are able to get faster and better connectivity, hopefully at a lower price. It can't be more expensive than what it is today."

SEACOM chief executive officer Brian Herlihy added: "Turning the switch 'on' creates a huge anticipation but ultimately, SEACOM will be judged on the changes that take place on the continent over the coming years."

South Africa has been hobbled by high costs and extremely slow bandwidth, effectively keeping the country on an information back road rather then the superhighway.

There is much anticipation and hope that the cable will ensure Africa keeps up with the developed world in Internet connectivity, providing greater speed, flexibility and, potentially, a complete socio-economic transformation.

Tanzanian President Josiah Kikwete said in his opening address: "It's the ultimate embodiment of modernity."

His speech was beamed via SEACOM from a launch in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania to the simultaneous launch in Johannesburg, South Africa

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/07/22/seacom.on/index.html

Ethiopia unveils ancient obelisk

The obelisk was surrounded by scaffolding for reassembly

Ethiopia is celebrating the unveiling of the reassembled Axum obelisk, one of the country's greatest treasures.

The obelisk, at least 1,700 years old, was looted by Italian troops in the 1930s and returned to Ethiopia in 2005.

A giant Ethiopian flag was removed from the obelisk in front of what organisers said was a crowd of tens of thousands in the ancient northern town of Axum.

The ceremony is the last big event of Ethiopia's millennium year, the year 2000 by the country's Coptic calendar.

The president and prime minister were among the officials attending.

Ancient empire

Intricately carved obelisks were erected at the tombs of Ethiopia's ancient kings when Axum was the centre of a great empire.

The obelisk shows the architectural talent of our ancestors Berhanu Kebede Ethiopian ambassador to the UK

But only one remained standing amid the tumbled blocks of its former companions, the BBC's Elizabeth Blunt reports from Ethiopia.

The Axum obelisk was taken by troops in 1937 during the Italian occupation.

The monument weighs more than 150 tonnes and was brought back from Italy in three pieces.

Its return followed decades of negotiations between the Italian and Ethiopian governments, and long delays in transporting the heavy stones from Rome.

The monument has now been restored and resurrected in its original home.

How the Axum obelisk was restored

It had been lying on the ground for centuries when the Italians found it, and some archaeologists argued it should have been replaced in that position to avoid damage to it or nearby networks of underground tombs.

But others have said Ethiopians should be able to see the obelisk in its original position.

Ethiopia's ambassador to the UK, Berhanu Kebede, told the BBC's Network Africa programme that the obelisk would help his country "to build a stronger and vibrant nation".

"We have fought a protracted battle to bring back our historical asset, and this is very important because it's a manifestation of who we are and it also shows what our ancestors have done," he said.

"The obelisk shows the architectural talent of our ancestors and modern architects are fascinated how the Ethiopians were able to do that during that period."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7597589.stm

UK oil explorers in Uganda find "world class" oil discovery

The find is in the Lake Albert Rift Basin

UK oil explorer Heritage Oil and its partner Tullow Oil have made a "world class" oil discovery in Uganda.

The finding by the Giraffe exploration well could be the largest discovery in the Lake Albert Rift Basin to date.

Reserves in the well and a linked discovery known as Buffalo, which was discovered in December, may come to more than 400 million barrels of oil.

Heritage has a 50% equity stake in the exploration licences, with Tullow Oil holding the other 50%.

'Fast-tracked'

Heritage chief executive Tony Buckingham said: "The large Buffalo-Giraffe structure is a world-class discovery which could prove to be substantially more extensive than currently outlined."

And Aidan Heavey, Tullow chief executive, said: "Buffalo-Giraffe is one of the largest recent onshore oil discoveries in Africa.

"Combined with our other finds in the region, we have now clearly exceeded the thresholds for basin development.

"Options for commercialisation and first oil production are currently being fast-tracked."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7826016.stm

Gazprom seals $2.5bn Nigeria deal

Gazprom could increase its power over European supplies Russia's energy giant Gazprom has signed a $2.5bn (£1.53bn) deal with Nigeria's state operated NNPC, to invest in a new joint venture. The new firm, to be called Nigaz, is set to build refineries, pipelines and gas power stations in Nigeria. Analysts say the move could further strengthen Russia's role in supplying natural gas to Europe. The agreement comes during a four-day African tour by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. As well as forming Nigaz, Russia is keen on developing a trans-African pipeline to transport Nigerian gas to Europe. This could further reinforce Gazprom's already-strong influence over Europe's energy supplies. 'Commodity-rich' "Russia has a number of goals [in Africa], one of which would be to take part in a growing competition for resources and markets on the continent - mainly with China," said Yaroslav Lissovolik, head economist with Deutsche Bank in Moscow. Sergei Novikov, a spokesman for Rosatom, Russia's state-run civil nuclear energy agency, said the Nigaz deal would lay the foundations for building nuclear power reactors in Nigeria. Nigeria has previously said it would like to develop a nuclear power plant to address its energy shortages. Before visiting Nigeria, Mr Medvedev spent time in Egypt. He is also visiting Namibia and Angola - which are rich in natural resources - during his trip, as he seeks to promote Russian business interests. "Part of the agenda is to push Russia's credentials as a representative of commodity-rich developing countries with such forums as the G8 and the G20," said Ural Sib bank's chief strategist Chris Weafer in a note to investors. Chinese deal Russia is not alone in seeking to secure energy deals overseas with commodity-rich nations. Separately on Thursday, Chinese oil refiner Sinopec has made a $7.2bn bid to acquire oil exploration and producing firm Addax, which focuses on Africa and the Middle East. If the deal is approved by regulators it would be the biggest foreign takeover by a Chinese firm.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8118721.stm

China launches Nigerian satellite

China is launching rockets for 30 countries

China has successfully launched a communications satellite for Nigeria.

The official Xinhua news agency says it is the first time that a foreign buyer has purchased both a Chinese satellite and its launching service.

The Nigerian Communication Satellite NIGCOMSAT-1 is expected to offer broadcasting, phone and broadband internet services for Africa.

China beat 21 other bidders in 2004 for the $311m contract to launch the satellite, Xinhua says.

The satellite, lofted by a Long March 3-B rocket, is expected to reach its final position later this year and to remain in operation for 15 years.

The launch is being portrayed as part of a drive to enhance rural access to technology and the internet and boost Nigeria's and Africa's knowledge economy.

"It gives you bandwidth to enable you to communicate from point A to point B, from rural Africa to urban cities," Dr Bashir Gwandu, a member of the Satellite Launch Committee and a director at the Nigeria Communications Commission told the BBC's Focus on Africa.

Nigeria has been experiencing a communications revolution in recent years, says the BBC's Alex Last, and is one of the fastest growing mobile phone markets in Africa and the world.

Having a space programme is also symbolic of how Nigeria wants to be seen as a growing player on the world stage.

Critics say the majority of the population live in poverty and the internet can be made redundant by the simple fact that electricity is sporadic at best.

The government should rather spend all this money on power, job creation and basic public services, they say.

Co-operation

This is the latest example of growing economic co-operation between China and Africa.

China is buying African raw materials, and building infrastructure such as roads.

The launch represented "China's wish to cooperate with developing countries in the peaceful use of outer space and to promote a closer relationship between China and African countries," Xinhua says.

China is expanding its space programme, and in 2003 became only the third country to launch a man into space.

This is one of 30 foreign satellites China has been commissioned to launch, Xinhua reports.

Nigeria already has a weather satellite launched in 2003 with Russian assistance.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6653067.stm