Africa Media Review  Vol. 2 No. 3  1988
© African  Council on Communication  Education

Development  of  Telecommunications

Infrastructure  in Africa:

Network Evolution, Present  Status

and  Future  Development

Charles  Aloo*

ABSTRACT

This  articles  reviews  critically  the  evolution,  present
status  and  future  development  of telecommunications  in  the
African  continent.  It  reports  the  major  efforts  so far  made  to
develop  telecom-munications  technology  and  services  in
Africa  and  points  out  that  despite  all  these  efforts,  it  is  a
painful  fact  that Africa  still lags behind  in the  development of
communications.

resource  constraints, 

The article  attributes  this  unfortunate  situation  mainly to
economic 
inefficient  planning,
inadequate  roads,  lack  of  coordination  and  low  priority  of
communication  development.  It  then  calls  for  greater
cooperation  among African  countries,  funding  agencies,  the
United  Nations  and  the  industrialized  countries  in  this
crucial  area  of  telecommunications  development  in  Africa,
for the mutual benefit  of all.
*  Engnr. Charles R.S. Aloo is the Assistant  Head of Telecom-
munications  Services/Planning,  Development 
and
Engineering,  Kenya  Posts  and  Telecommunications
Corporation  (K.P.&T.), Nairobi,  Kenya.

19

Developpement des infrastructures de

telecommunciatlons en Afrique: Evolution du reseau,  etat

actuel et perspectives

RESUME

Cet  article fait  une  etude  critique  de  1'evolution,  de  l'etat
actuel  et  des  perspectives  de  developpement  des
telecommunictians  en  Afrique.  II  rend  compte  des  efforts
importants  faits  a  ce jour  pour  developper  les  sources  et  les
technologies  de  telecommunications  en  Afrique  et  fait
ressortir  que, malgre tous ces efforts,  l'Afrique  accuse  encore
un grand retard dans le developpement des communications.

Selon  l'auteur,  cette  situation  malheureuse  est  due
principalement  aux  difficultes  economiques,  a  une
planification  inefficace,  aux manque  de routes,  a l'absence  de
coordination,  et  au  bas  niveau  de  priorite. accorde  au
developpement  des communications.  II lance un appel en vue
d'une  plus  grande  cooperation  entre  les  pays  africains,  les
agences  de  financement,  les  Nations  -  Unies  et  les  pays
industrialises  dans  le domaine  crucial  du  developpement  des
telecommunications  en Afrique,  dans l'interet  de tous.

20

Background:

Basic  conventional  telecommunications  was  first  used  in
Africa  during  the  pre-independence  era  by  trading  firms  in
West  Africa.  It  is  also  believed  that  similar  communication
was  available  In  Eastern  Africa,  around  the  same  period.  In
Eastern  Africa,  a 
legal  creation  of  a  postal  and
telecommunication  entity  was  made  in  1893.  In  general  it
should  be  pointed  out  that  major  development  activities  in
this field  started  in Africa  in the  1960s.

These  major  changes  we  are  now  witnessing  could  not
have been  realized without  technical  and  financial  assistance
from  international  and  regional  organizations  such  as  the
OAU,  ITU,  the  World  Bank,  UNDP,  ECA,  ADB,  and  similar
bodies.

Pan-African  Telecommunication  Network  (PANAFTEL)

a 

conference 

One  of  the  first  international  organizations  to  initiate
action  on  Pan-African  Telecommunications  Network  was
ITU.  The  International  Telecommunication  Union  (ITU)
organized 
and
Telecommunications  Administrations  at  Dakar,  Senegal,  in
1962,  during  which  the  first  international  plan  for  the
development  of an African  Telecommunications  Network  was
outlined.  This  plan  was  subsequently  reviewed  at  other
meetings culminating in the  1965/70 Addis Ababa Plan which
gave  detailed  appraisal  of  the  African  Telecommunications
Network.

of  African  Postal 

The  Economic  Commission  for  Africa  (ECA) had  also  its
share  of  contribution  in  fostering  telecommunications  as  a
tool for  socio-economic  development  during  those  early years

21

of  independence  for  many  African  countries.  In  1966,  ECA
and  OAU  held  a  joint  meeting  on  Telecommunications  in
Africa  in which  telecommunications  a  a  sector was  reviewed.
During  the  meeting,  governments  were  requested  to  take
immediate  action  to  develop  their 
telecommunications
infrastructure  in consultation with  other bodies such  as ECA
and  ITU.  The  other  important  point  emphasized  in  this
recommendation  was  the  need  to  develop  manpower  for
organization, 
these
networks.

installation  and  maintenance  of 

In  1967, the ECA at its eighth session, adopted a resolution
on  Pan-African  Telecommunications  Network,  in  which
among  other things, African  governments were invited  to give
the  development  of an African  Telecommunications  Network
very high priority in their development  plans. To this end,  the
Secretary-General  of the  ITU and  the  Executive  Secretary  of
the ECA submitted  a request to the UNDP for funds  to  finance
the  preliminary  work  of  collecting 
information
necessary.to  define  the  assistance  required  for  the  entire
project.  The  Council  of  Ministers  of  the  Organization  of
African  Unity,  at  its  thirteenth  ordinary  session,  meeting  at
Addis Ababa  in September  1969, further  endorsed  the  setting
up 
Pan-African
and 
Telecommunications  Network.

a  modern 

efficient 

the 

of 

The ITU, as the executive agency, under the United Nations
Development  Programme,  started  detailed  surveys  in  1968 in
Africa,  initially  with  28  African  countries  participating  in
the surveys and studies conducted by the ITU experts and ITU-
managed  consultants.

In  1972, the  ITU and  the  UNDP in collaboration  with  the
ECA and ADB organized  a meeting in Addis Ababa to  discuss
the  general  plans  for  a  Pan-African  Network.  The  total
investment  required  to  realize  the  project  was  estimated  at
approximately  US$140  million  for  the  establishment  of  a
network  equivalent 
to  20,000  km.  The  detailed  pre-
investment  survey  covering  the  transmission  routes  and  18
international  switching  centres  was  completed  in  1973. The
financing  of this project  was  undertaken  through  bilateral  or
multilateral  arrangements,  through  major  international  or
regional  financial  institutions  such  as  the  World  Bank  and
the African  Development  Bank.

According to the  ITU report  submitted  at  the  3rd  African
Telecommunications  Conference  in  1981, by the  end  of  1979

22

there were 20  international  telex switching  centres  in  service
in  Africa  supported  by  approximately  30,000  route-
kilometres  of  high  quality  transmission  routes  consisting  of
radio-relay  and  coaxial cable  systems.  In  addition,  there  was
a  4,000  km  submarine  cable  in  the  North-Western  part  of
Africa.  As  a  complementary,  there  were  38  satellite  earth
inter-African
stations  providing  both  international  and 
service.  There  were  also  four  countries  with 
leased
transponders  for  domestic  use.  However,  there was  a total of
9539  km  of  routes  already  surveyed  but  awaiting
implementation.  In  addition,  there  were  8195  km  of  routes
awaiting  survey.

African Sub-Regional Telecommunication  Conferences

In  order  to  coordinate  effectively  problems  related  to
planning  and  management  of  telecommunications,  it  was
found  necessary  to  create  sub-regional  meetings.  In  East
Africa,  these  meetings  have  existed  since  the  1960s  and
because  of their  success, immense  support  has been  received
from  both  international  and  regional  organizations.  These
sub-regional  conferences  are  held  on  an  annual  basis  to
review plans  and  operation  of services which  include  routing,
signalling,  maintenance  and  training  requirements.

There  are  four  sub-regions:  East  and  Southern  Africa;

Central Africa;  North Africa  and West  Africa.

United Nations Transport and Communications
Decade for Africa

Despite all these  efforts,  it is a painful  fact  that Africa  still
lags  behind  in  the  development  of  telecommunications
infrastructure  mainly due to resources constraints. According
to World Telephone  Statistics, as  of January  1987, telephone
penetration  in  Africa  was  only  ).4  per  100  population  as
compared  to  4.5  in  South  America  or  5.2  in  Asia.  Data
obtained from about  50 African  countries show that the  entire
network  of  10 of these countries was below 5,000 telephones,
more than  half the countries had  less than  20,000  telephones
and  in  only  8  countries  did  the  total  exceed  100.000.  The
average  penetration  of  telephones  was  only  0.66  per  100
population,  the density ranging from  0.1 to 8.96. This state of

23

affairs  was,  and  is  still  more  serious  in  rural  areas.  In  most
rural  areas  of Africa,  there  are  no telephone  facilities  at  all  or
if they exist, they are inadequate  and of poor quality.

In response  to  this, the  United  Nations  General  Assembly
at  its  32nd  session  in  March  1978,  adopted  a  resolution,
No.32/160,  declaring  the  years  1978/87  the  Transport  and
Communications  Decade  in  Africa.  This  resolution  <was  to
draw  the  attention  of  the  world  community  on  the  need  for
rapid  development  of  transport  and  communications  in
Africa  with  ECA  designated  as  the  Executing  Agency.  In  a
further  development,  the  Assembly  of  Heads  of  State  and
Government  of  the  Organization  of African  Unity  meeting  in
its  2nd  Extraordinary  Session  in April,  1980, Lagos,  adopted
the  Lagos  Plan  of Action  which  incorporated  the  Transport
and  Communications  Sector,  the  relevant  resolution  having
been  earlier  adopted  by the  OAU Assembly  of Heads  of  State
and  Government 
in  July  1979.  The
communication  projects  incorporated  in  the  Lagos  Plan  of
Action  included  telecommunications,  broadcasting,  postal,
manpower  development  and  communications  by  satellite. All
these  events  were  indicative  of  a  realization  by  African
governments and the world at large on the dire need to develop
a  sound  and  efficient  telecommunications  infrastructure  for
socio-economic  development  on  this  continent.

in  Monrovia 

The  Communications  Sector,  within  the  meaning  of  the
United  Nations  Transport  and  Communications  Decade  in
Africa  Programme,  is  made  up  of 
telecommunications
(telephone,  telex  and  telephone-derived  communications),
broadcasting  radio  and  television  and  other  derived  services,
and  postal  services.

The  Communications  Sector  Programme  of  the  Decade
can  be  said  to  have  been  designed  to  help  coordinate  the
development  of  communications  systems  and  supporting
institutions  In the  member  countries.  The  Sector  Programme
lays emphasis  on:

(a) 
(b) 

(c) 

upgrading  and  expansion  of national  networks;
development  of  communication  capabilities  and
rural  communications;
rapid  expansion  of  communications  skills  and
manpower  development  institutions;

24

(d) 

(e) 

for  national  and 

appropriate  exploitation  of  the  new  communication
technologies 
inter-regional
communications,  and  continuing  expansion  of  the
terrestrial  communication  network  project  (Plan-
African 
PANAFTEL);
promoting  the  establishment  of  telecommunication,
broadcasting  and  postal  equipment  manufacturing
facilities.

T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o ns 

Network

Certain  specific  targets  have  been  set  for  the  Decade  in
terms  of  the  penetration  of  communication  services.  In  the
common-carrier  sub-sector  the  tentative  objective  is  to
achieve  an  average  density of penetration  of one telephone  per
100  of the  population  as  against  the  current  world  average  of
14.7.  The  objective  for  the  broadcasting  sub-sector  is  to
achieve  full  sound  broadcast  coverage  for  each  country,  and
an  increase  of  sound  broadcasting  receiver  penetration  from
the  present  seven to  20 sets  per  100 of the  population.  In  the
postal sub-sector  the target  is one post  office  to  serve 3,000  to
6,000  inhabitants.  These  three  principal  sub-sectors  were
selected for  special attention because  of the  perceived  needs of
member  countries  of  the  Commission  and  their  potential
contributory  factors  to  develop-ment.

The  political  will  to  develop  telecommunications 

is
apparent  in  the  developed  and  developing  economies.  The
problem  of telecommunication  development  in  the  developing
economies  is  on  the  one  hand  limited  resources  vis-a-vis  the
various  priorities  demanding  urgent  solution,  and  on  the
other  hand  the  burden  of international  indebtedness  and  the
increasing  protectionism  worldwide  with  the  associated
impact  on  the  transfer  of  appropriate  technology.  As  we  all
know,  the  demand  for  telecommunications  in  the  developing
economies  of Africa  is  there.  We  also  know  of  the  abundant
supply  capacity  of the  developed  and  some  of  the  developing
economies.  However,  the  mutually  beneficial  arrange-ments
acceptable to both  sides have still to be created.  In Africa,  each
country  has  its  own  specific  problems.  However,  some
common 
the  development 
the
communications  infra-structure  can  be  identified:

constraints 

of 

Most  African  countries  have  established  their  basic
national  telecommunications  networks.  These  networks  are
small  and  concentrated  in  the  urban  areas  and  continue  to

to 

25

provide  the  ever  increasing  demand  for  telephone,  telex,
radio, television  and  other  services.International  and  some of
the  intra-African  traffic  are  provided  by  satellite  earth
stations.  Rural  areas  in  Africa  remain  especially  poorly
served,  and  with  some  exceptions,  are  given  low priority  by
national 
low
initial  revenue  potential  of  rural  services  /is  in  part
responsible  for the  second  place  accorded  them  in relation  to
the  construction  of  urban,  inter-urban  and  international
circuits.

telecommunication  administrations.  The 

In  operations  these  services  are  sometimes  inefficient,
slow and very expensive. The availability of these  services are
also  inadequate.  Alternatively,  the  International  services
operating  within  the  same  network  are  faster  and  often  of
better  quality.  In spite of the progress made  in the  provisions
of the  (Pan-African  Telecommunications  Networks),  it  is  still
limited  in  scope.  The  utilization  of  the  Net  work  by  its
potential  users  (radio  broadcast, 
television  services,
aeronautical  and meteorological  services  and  press  and  news
agencies,  etc)  is disturbingly  very low.  The  low utilization of
the  system  is  in  part  due  to  operations  difficulties,  poor
maintenance, 
in  some  cases  high  tariffs,  absence  of
operational  agreements,  shortage  of trained  manpower,  spare
parts,  shortages and poor management  as well as the need for
upgrading  some of the  earlier installations,  utilization  of new
technologies  and  inter-connection  to  other  sub-regional
section  of the  PANAFTEL Network.

These  services  represent  considerable  improvement  since
the  inception  of the UNTACDA programme  five years ago, but
the  rate of development  still lags behind  UNTACDA targets  in
most  areas.  The continent  of Africa  still lags seriously behind
world  standard  in the  allocation  of funds  to  communications
projects. 
Its  communications  facilities  as  described  above
also  lag  behind  by  comparison  with  other  regions  of  the
developing world.  With more than  11.4 per cent  of the world
population, Africa  has fewer than 0.7 percent of its telephone.
The number  of telephones  as  a  proportion  of the  population,,
approximately  6.6  percent  in  Africa,  compares  for  example
with  a  figure  of  6  percent  in  Latin  America.  Broadcasting
penetration  in  /Africa,  too,  remains  far  below  world  levels.
Although  the African  continent  accounts for 23 percent  of the
world  land  mass,  it  hosts  only  3  percent  of  the  world's

26

television  and  radio  transmitters.  The  numbers  of  sound
receivers per  1,000  inhabitants  in Africa  is one fifth  the world
average  while  the  number  of  television  receivers,  at  7  per
1,000 inhabitants, compares poorly to a world figure  of 123.

Finally,  inadequate  roads  and  lack  of  co-ordination
between  the  various  subregions,  coupled  with  insufficient
facilities,  make  African  postal  network  fragmented,  often
slow  and  inadequate.  This  may  be  attributed  to  the  low
priority  often  according  to  communications  infrastructural
development 
in  most  national  plans.  Mainly  because
electronic  communications  systems  (telecom-munications
and  broadcasting)  are  capital  intensive  and  it  is  felt  by
national  planners  that  the  allocation  of  scarce  resources  to
this  sector  may jeopardize  investments  in  other  vital  sectors
such  as health,  agriculture,  industry,  transport  or  education.
This stance can  often  be rigid and  ignores the  contribution of
communications  to  the  efficient  management  of  these
activities  as  well  as  the  fact  that  contrary  to  general  belief
telecommunications precede and is a cause of development.

The  difficult  and,  in  certain  cases,  critical  economic
situation  of  many  African  countries  has  not  facilitated
adequate  resource  allocation  to  the  communication,  (which
largely  imports  most  of  its  material  inputs.  Generally,  the
amount  of resources  allocated to the communication  sector is
determined  by  the  quantum  of  direct  financial  profits
generated by the investment  and to a large extent fails to take
due  account  of the  sector's contribution  to the development of
the  other  sectors  of  the  national  economy  or  to  the  social
benefits,  largely  unquantifiable, 
the
allocated  resources.

it  generates  from 

Absence  of  or  inefficient  planning  communications
services  invariable  leads  to  poor  performance,  waste  of
capital  investments  and  humans  resources. 
In  addition
national planning  authorities have  often  given  this  sector low
priority  in  the  context  of  national  needs  because  of  the
absence  of  matter  plans  to  guide  national  communications
development  programmes.

For  member  countries  of  the  Commission,  there  is  a
double  challenge  for  communication  services  expansion  to
keep up with increasing demand  in consonance with the  pace
of  development  while  also  planning  for  an  investing  in
network  extensions  to  unserved  press  and  remote  rural

27

communities  in  order  to  speed  up  the  pace.  This  latter
challenge  poses  a  magnitude  in  volume  of  expansion
requirement  far  in  excess  of what  the  developing  countries
face.  Consequently, communications development  issues, are
being  considered  as  an  inseparable  part  of  the  overall
development  policy of each  country.

In  practical  terms  this  means  government  decisions  on
the development  of the sector as a whole are being linked with
decisions  on  many  other  national  issues  such  as  on  rural
development,  on  increased  industrial  and  agricultural
production,  on  intra-regional  and 
trade
production  and  a  host  of  other  national  and  regional
objectives.

international 

Future Development: The Rascom Project

The  specific  targets  of  UNTACDA  were  to  achieve  a
telephone  density  of  1.0  per  100  inhabitants  in  the  urban
areas and  one public call office  (PCO) per  10,000  inhabitants
in  the  rural  areas,  with  each  inhabitant  within  5  km  of  a
telephone.  These targets have been put back to the year 2000
as growth rates have been lower than  expected.  The  following
obstacles have hampered progress:

telecommunications not being accorded  adequate  priority
a lack of common  standards
related power supply problems

• 
• 
• 
•  use  of equipment  not  adapted  to the African  environment

and  requirements
a  lack  of  "telecommunication  operation  agreements"
between  administrations
•  unharmonized  tariff  rates
fast-changing  technology
• 
inadequate  high-level  manpower  for  technical  and
• 
administrative  management
a scarcity of financial  resources
a lack of industries and manufacturing  capability.

• 

• 
• 

These  obstacles  forced  African  countries  to  rethink  their
approach  to  the  continent's  telecommunications  problems.
After  the  instigation  of  PANAFTEL.  many  African  nations
became  eager  to  exploit  the  potential  of  the  most  recent

28

technological  developments  - particularly  those  suited  to  the
rural  applications  that  are  their  prime  concern.  Satellite
communications  technology is of particular  Interest.

In  response,  a  number  of  organizations  initiated  pre-
feasibility  studies  known  under  various  names.  The
proliferation  of studies and the attendant waste of human  and
financial  resources  led  to  the  establishment  of  the  Inter-
Agency  Co-ordination  Committee  (IACC)  of  the  Regional
African  Satellite  Communication  System 
the
Development  of  Africa  (RASCOM)  by  the  Conference  of
African  Ministers  of  Transport,  Communications,  and
Planning.

for 

The  IACC  is  composed  of  the  Organization  of  African
Unity  (OAU) Chairman,  the  Economic  Commission  for  Africa
(ECA) Vice  Chairman,  the  African  Development  Bank (ADB),
the  Chairman  of  Civil  Aviation  Commission  (AFCAC),  the
International  Telecommunication  Union  (ITU),  the  Pan
African  Telecommunications  Union  (PATU),  the  African
Posts  and  Telecommunications  Union  (UAPT),  the  United
Nations Development  Programme  (UNDP), the  United  Nations
Educational,  Scientific  and  Cultural  Organization  (UNESCO),
and  the  Union  des  RadiodiflFusions  et Televisions  Nationales
d'Afrique  (URTNA).

study  of  an 

The  Conference  of  African  Ministers  of  Transport  and
Communications,  and  Planning  resolves  to  undertake  a
comprehensive,  objective 
integrated
telecommunication  network  for Africa.  The  study  is  to  take
account  of  the  need  to  provide  a  satisfactory  service,
particularly to the  rural  areas,  in order to enhance  the  socio-
economic  development  of the  participating  countries.  In  its
1983  Cairo  Resolution  (ECA/UNTACDA/RS.83/26) 
the
ministers  asked  the  IACC to  Integrate  all  the  pre-feasibility
studies into this single project,  which it was then to  supervise
and  monitor.

The  ultimate  development  goal  of  the  project  and
economical  means  of  the  telecommunications,  including
sound  and  television  broadcasting  and  community  reception
by  satellite  ares  in African  countries  using  a  region  African
satellite  system.  This  system  si  to  be  complemented,  as
necessary, by any other appropriate technology, and has to be
properly Integrated  into the  existing and/or  planned  national
network.

29

Having thus  defined  the  ultimate  goal  of the  project,  the
following  Terms  of  Reference  stipulated  the  immediate
objectives of the study:

• 

• 

• 

of 

efficient 

and 

provision 

to  undertake  technical  and  economic  studies  for  the
design,  launching,  and  operation  of a  regional  dedicated
satellite  system for the African  region that  would  cater  for
the 
economical
telecommunications,  including  broadcasting  and  data
communications  for  national  and  international  links,
both urban and rural.
to  cover  all  aspects  of  the  integration  of  the  space
component  into the existing or planned  network.
to  identify  and  prepare  a  broad  outline  of  specifications
for the  design  and  local production,  where  possible, of all
types  of  equipment  required,  geared  to  the  African
economic,  social, technical  and  physical  environments.

Organizational  Structure

The supreme  authority for the project  is the  Conference  of
Ministers  of  Transport,  Communication,  and  Planning
assisted  by  an  Interim  Executive  Committee  (IEC).  The  IEC
will  consist  of  one  representative  from  each  African  country
participating  in the  project.  Collectively, the  members  of  the
IEC  have  to  direct  the  activities  of the  project,  to  study  the
various  reports,  and  submit  recommendations  to 
the
Conference  of  Ministers.  The  IACC will  submit  reports  and
recommendations to the Conference  of Ministers via the IEC.
A project  office  was established  in March,  1987 at the ITU
headquarters in Geneva to undertake parts of the study and to
ensure  its  day-to-day  follow-up..  This  office  is manned  by  a
small  team  of  international  experts,  headed  by  a  project
director  and  recruited  by the  ITU on  the  recommendation  of
the  IACC.  The  ITU  provides  the  project  staff  with  support
facilities  within  the  UNDP  structure  all  over  the  African
continent,  as  well  as  resources  such  as  computer  facilities
from  its  headquarters.  In  addition,  the  experts  benefit  from
the  current  privileges  and  immunities  that  are  accorded  to
staff  in the United  Nations system for technical  co-operation.
This office  is responsible for the  supervision  of field  work,
it will compile  and  analyze reports  from  field  and  draw  up  a

30

comprehensive  report  representing  all  telecommunications
options  to  the  authorities  for  their  final  decision  on  the
implementation  phase.  The  supervising  agencies  are  those
institutions  that  are  directly  associated  with  the  practical
execution  of  the  project 
(i.e.  ITU.  ECA,  PATU,  UAPT  and
URTNA).  These agencies will play an active role in the  project,
particularly  on  a  national  level.

As  the  heads  of  state  of  the  Union  Douaniere  et
Economique  de  l'Afrique  Centrale  (UDEAC)  countries  have
mandated  the  secretary  General  of  UDEAC  to  undertake  a
study  of a  sub-regional  satellite  communication  system,  and
the ministers of each subregion have decided to continue  their
association with  RASCOM, the  IACC has  decided  to  associate
UDEAC  with  the  supervising  activities  of  the  RASCOM
Project.

National-Level Activities

the  problem  of  access 

The  primary  activity  is  to  identify  truly  development-
oriented  telecommunication  service  needs  in  each  country.
The  study  will  approach 
to
telecommunication  services,  not just  from  the  conventional
telephone/telex  demand  as  perceived  by  the  PTT  authority,
but  also as felt by the overall national  develop-ment  authority
in the form  of infrastructural  support  to other activities.  This
will  bring  to  the  study  the  cultural,  economic  and  social
breadth  that  it  needs  to  satisfy  the  aspirations  of  the
population of each  country.

In  order  to  achieve  this  objective,  multi-disciplinary
National  Co-ordination  Committee 
(NCCs)  have  been
established  with  he  PTT  as  a  focal  point.  A  national  co-
ordinator  has  been named  in  each African  country  to  ensure
effective  follow-up  at the national level and  to act as a  contact
for  relations  with  regional  activities  of  the  Project.
Considering  the  importance  of national-level  activities  in  the
RASCOM feasibility  study,  the  project  office  has  prepared  as
its  first  priority  a  document  entitled  "Guidelines  for
Conducting the  National-Level  Feasibility  Study  of a  Regional
African  satellite  Communication  System  for  the  development
of Africa".  Its purpose  is to aid the NCCs in the preparation of
national  feasibility  studies.

The  results  of  the  national-level  activities  will  be
documented  in  national  feasibility  study  reports  covering  all

31

4.  Appropriate  Modern  Telecommunication  Technology  for
Integrated  Rural  Development  in Africa  (AMTT/IRD, ITU,
Geneva, Nov. 1981).

5.  Richard  L  Nickelsen,  Appropriate  Satellite  Systems  for

Rural Telecommunications, IEEE,  1982.

6.  Interim  Progress  Report  on  RASCOM  PROJECT:  Kenya

National  Coordinating  Committee, KP&TC.

7.  Report  of  the  Third  African  Telecommunications

Conference,  Monrovia, Liberia,  1981.

34