african nren overview boubakar barry association of african universities research and education...
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African NREN Overview
Boubakar BarryAssociation of African Universities
Research and Education Networking Unit
Internet2 Fall Member MeetingChicago, 4-7 November 2006
Agenda
About AAUAAU and R&E NetworkingConnectivity in AfricaCost issuesKey challenges for R&E Networking in AfricaEstablished RENsRENs in formationTowards an AfREN - Opportunities
About AAU
Established in November 1967 in Rabat, Morocco. Based in Accra, Ghana194 members, in all African sub-regionsGeneral Conference once every 4 years, with election of the BoardConference of Rectors, VCs and Presidents once every 2 yearsSeveral programmes and services (QA, Mobility, Leadership and Management, HIV/AIDS, DATAD, Gender, R&E Netwg,...)
AAU and R&E Networking
11th General Conference in February 2005 in Cape Town, SA: four-year Core Programme approvedProminent among other foci: support for the development if ICT for HE in AfricaStrong mandate to the Secretariat to assume focal point role for ICT initiativesFocus on R&E Networking for improvement of access to information and knowledge
AAU and R&E Networking (cont'd)
Fact: with over 400 universities in 53 countries, there are less than a dozen active NRENs in Africa (mainly located in Northern and Southern Africa)Since the 11th GC, several activities with AAU involvement:
Open Access Conference, Maputo, May 2005
Roundtable on “Progress and Challenges in Building NRENs in Africa”, Philadelphia, September 2005
Workshop on African REN, Geneva, Sept 2005
AAU and R&E Networking (cont'd)
Conference on African REN convened by AAU during the WSIS summit in Tunis, Nov. 2005Call on AAU to take up the coordinating role of
African REN initiativesNeed for AAU to set up an unit within the SecretariatCommitment by donor community to support
initiative
Workshop on REN during AfNOG 2006 in Nairobi, April 2006 (focus on campus networks and on strategy and policy issues)Importance of the foundations (campus networks)Importance of building consensusSub-regional approachAfREN
AAU and R&E Networking (cont'd)
Where are we in this process?With support of PHE in Africa and IDRC: set up of a REN Unit within AAU Secretariat
WP for the next 3 years in development
First activities of the unit: MoU with AfNOG and AfriNIC for capacity development
Appointment of Advisory Panel members and first AP meeting
Regional Workshop on NREN, Accra, Nov 2006
Participation in relevant events (University Leaders' Forum, this meeting)
Identification of and contact with potential partners
AAU open to partnerships
Connectivity in Africa
Least connected continent
In most of the countries, incumbents rule over telecommunications market
Poor infrastructure except in few countries
Resources concentrated in major urban areas
Absence of or no implementation of ICT policies
Predominance of copper infrastructure on national backbones
Very few IXPs, leading to inefficient use of international bandwidth
Absence or weakness of regulatory bodies
etc.
Connectivity in Africa (cont'd)
Connectivity in Africa (cont'd)
Projects aimed to change this figure
SAT3 cable (full capacity: around 120 Gbps) A set of several submarine cables
SEA-ME-WE 3 (40k km) which links Europe to Australia via Mediterranean Africa)
Atlantis 2 (12k km) linking Southern Europe to South America via Wet Africa (Senegal and Capo Verde)
SAFE (13.5k km) linking South Africa to Malaysia via Mauritius and Reunion Island
SAT/WASC which links Southern Europe to South Africa SAT3 implemented Problem: consortium with monopolistic pricing policy “Monopoly” of consortium to end within the next months.
New access and pricing policies? Role of regulatory bodies!
Connectivity in Africa (cont'd)
EASSy cable Still in project phase Different access policy than SAT3 Separation of shareholders' rights from access rights Programme for connection of land-locked countries Very promising project for East-African countries BUT:
Big delays Questions on if the project will be ever implemented Dispute around ownership by NEPAD Some stakeholders are already seeking for alternative
solutions (KDN, Telkom Kenya) The future?
Unused resources: dark fiber
Connectivity in Africa (cont'd) Eastern Africa Submarine System
Toliary
Durban
Connectivity in Africa (cont'd)
SAT-3/WASC
SAFE
SEA ME WE 3
20
Global Connectivity
EASSy
Bandwidth cost issues
African bandwidth prices probably the highest in the world
Main reasons: lack of competition
use of costly technologies (VSAT)
absence of or inappropriate regulatory frameworks
Medium bandwidth price in Africa: US$5,000 per 1 Mbps
Prices as high as over US$10,000+ per 1 Mbps
Efforts in some countries to apply lower tariffs for the Education sector; but prices still prohibitive
One of the short term solutions: (well thought) bandwidth consortia
Key challenges for R&E Networking in Africa
Awareness raising at the highest level (Vcs, Ministers, Heads of State) on the importance of R&E Networking for African development
Development of clear and coherent national ICT policies taking into account both regional issues and R&E specific needs
Regulatory environment
Power supply
Market environment disparity throughout the continent; need for harmonization
Human capacity development
Building a partnership framework involving all stakeholders and international partners
Established NRENs
Active RENs essentially established in Northern and Southern/Eastern Africa
Well established NRENs include: TENET (South Africa) KENET (Kenya) MAREN (Malawi) EUN (Egypt) MARWAN (Morocco) RNU (Tunesia) CERIST (Algeria)
Most of other NRENs are in a more and less advanced stage of formation
NRENs in formation
Several initiatives in all African regions
Most of the initiatives located in Southern/Eastern Africa (UbuntuNet momentum)
Most advanced intiatives: MoRENet (Mozambique) Rwandan NREN TENET (Tanzania) RENU (Uganda)
NRENs in formation (cont'd)
Recently, high activities in West and Central African countries
Quite promising initiatives in Nigeria (Ng ICT Forum)
Possible launch during AfNOG 2007 Ghana (GARNET)
Formally launched on Nov 2006 Cameroon (RIC)
Embryo already exists Senegal (RENER)
Ongoing consultations among stakeholders Côte d'Ivoire
Regional initiatives
First regional initiative in Africa is the EUMEDConnect project Links Mediterranean African countries with
Europe through GEANT Direct links from individual countries to GEANT Now, over to interconnection between the
countries
Other major initiative: UbuntuNet Alliance of several Southern/Eastern African
NRENs to interconnect and share bandwidth Initially set up in order to benefit from the
EASSy cable (as shareholder)
Regional initiatives (cont'd)
RESAO: initiative of Francophone universities as component of curricula reform process Essentially West and Central Africa Commitment at high level (Education Ministers
and Vcs)
New initiative for West/Central Africa during the recent Accra NREN workshop Task Force for follow up set up Initiative want to build on ongoing RESAO
initiative
BUT: first battle is at campus and national levels
Towards an AfREN - Opportunities
Despite the enormous challenges, real opportunities to move the African R&E Networking agenda forward Awareness of the key players on the ground Emergence of community at the continental
level which shares the same vision Begin of involvement of governments Support from donor organizations Support from the international REN community Positive signals from the private sector
Key point now: to build a strong alliance with all these stakeholders and to not loose the momentum
