Trapping the Lion AfricaConnect 1 and 2 Cathrin Stver, GANT WACREN - - PDF document

AfricaConnect 1 and 2

Trapping the Lion

Cathrin Stöver, GÉANT WACREN Conference 2016, Dakar, Senegal

2

The pan-European GEANT network

Looking back to 2008

A quick recap! - AfricaConnect1

• 5 years of preparation!
• Contract Duration May 2011 to 2015
• Implemented between the UbuntuNet Alliance and GEANT
• Across South and East Africa
• TCV Euro 14.95M (of which 80% funded through DGDEVCO)

Results: Community

• Membership of the UbuntuNet Alliance has grown to 15 NRENs in the

region

• 3 regular face to face meetings a year between the managers as well as the

technical staff

• UbuntuNet Connect Conference has grown from about 40 attendees in

2008 in Malawi to about 200 attendees at the 2015 conference – again in Malawi – this makes it one of the biggest African-organised ICT events

• NUANCE Newsletter: available since May 2008
• WACREN created in West and Central Africa
• Close Interactions with RedCLARA and TEIN

Results: Connectivity

Ideal Topology 2015 Planned

Results: Implementation and Operations

• Implementation of equipment and

links entirely carried out by UbuntuNet Alliance engineers

• Was used as training for the NRENs

in PoP locations

• Operations:
• UbuntuNet network Ops run by the

UA NOC (managed by TENET)

• AC2 will see development of stand-alone

UA NOC

Results: More funding, more recognition

• National World Bank Funding made available to emerging NRENs in South

and East Africa

• TANDEM, MAGIC and SCIGaIa
• AfricaConnect2
• Collaboration with Google on fibre roll-out in Kampala
• Google awards to Kenyan NREN, KENET
• Ongoing NSF Support to NSRC for further Training
• UN Technology Bank recognises NRENs and RRENs as vehicle to deliver their

services

• Collaboration with Research4Life, making scientific publications available for

free or at reduced rate

Results: Training

• In collaboration with NSRC and INASP
• In collaboration with AFNOG
• Over 1000 engineers trained across the

UA membership

• Advanced routing
• eduroam
• Network and systems administration
• Several Management and CEO training events
• Procurement and contract Management
• Managerial aspects of NREN operations, including costing and pricing
• Sustainability and value beyond connectivity

Results: Comms and Visibility

• AfricaConnect website
• UbuntuNet Alliance Website
• UbuntuNet Connect Event
• NUANCE Newsletter
• Various articles in GEANT Connect
• Two launch events – Lisbon and Dar Es Salaam
• Presentations around the world
• Launch Video

11

The African Challenge remains

Map developed by Michael Foley, consultant to World Bank

LD Country Internet penetration in % of population (Dec 2013/June 2014) NREN? Angola 22.5 No Bangladesh 24.5 Yes Burkina Faso 4.4 In construction Ethiopia 1.9 Yes Haiti 10.6 No Kiribati 11.5 No Nepal 13.3 Yes Niger 1.7 Yes Somalia 1.6 Yes Sudan 26.2 Yes Uganda 18.2 Yes Yemen 20.0 No

More Challenges – Internet Penetration in selected countries

AfricaConnect2

• AfricaConnect2
• Pan African, funded through DGDEVCO
• 3.5 year Project 2015 – 2018/19
• Three Clusters
• Southern and Eastern Africa
• Contracted directly between the EC and the UbuntuNet Alliance
• Western Africa
• Contracted between EC and GEANT with leadership provided through

WACREN

• North Africa
• Contracted between EC and GEANT
• Follow-on Project from EumedConnect for North Africa with leadership

provided through ASREN

AfricaConnect2

• AfricaConnect2
• Total Contract V

alue Euro 26.6M (with EC contribution at Euro 20M)

• Funding Levels:
• Southern and Eastern Africa: 70:30
• West Africa: 80:20
• North Africa 60:40
• EU Member State endorsed AfricaConnect2 at the DCI

Committee meeting on 30 October 2014

• Final EC Decision to award contract

was taken November 2014

• 1 year negotiation to ensure all

derogations are met

• Contract signature in December 2015

Work Carried out so far

• Prior Information Notice (PIN) carried out for:
• Connectivity West and Central Africa – Network Design Retreat in Goree,

Senegal

• Connectivity North Africa
• Equipment
• UbuntuNet Alliance Connectivity Procurement ongoing
• Connectivity upgraded to Algeria, tender carried out for Tunisia
• Training Course on Network Monitoring and Measuring carried out in

Abuja, Nigeria at the end of September 2015

• Regular UA training events
• AfricaConnect2 website and press release issued, Intranet ready, social

media ready

• Regular AfricaConnect2 Cluster and Coordination meetings

AfricaConnect2 Visibility

• A pan-African graphic identity:
• Online & Offline presence:
• www.africaconnect2.net
• @africaconnect2
• Events
• Training Workshops

Targeted content:

Press release (regional & international) Brochures Videos Case studies Facebook and LinkedIn

Relayed by strong partners and advocates in and out of Africa;)

TNC16 – Building the Internet of People

Call for Participation, round 2 is open: Submit posters and lightning talks! Deadline: 15 April, midnight CEST Register online until 3 June, also for the (free!) extra events! 12-16 June 2016 Prague, Czech Republic http://tnc16.geant.org

How to connect

For guidance on how to connect please visit: www.africaconnect2.net www.twitter.com/@AfricaConnect2 http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid www.geant.org www.ubuntunet.net www.wacren.net www.asren.org