Source: African Union Commission (AUC) |

AU Launches Internet Exchange Point in Madagascar: “Keeping intra-country internet traffic within the country”

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 21, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ --

The African Union Commission (AUC), through the Infrastructure and Energy Department, in collaboration with the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and New Technologies launched the Internet Exchange Point in Madagascar on 17th March 2016.

Through the African Internet Exchange System (AXIS) project, the African Union Commission extended capacity building support to 30 AU Member States to facilitate the establishment of internet exchange points.

The AU has also donated equipment and facilitated the setting up of Internet Exchange Points in Member States that have met the readiness criteria.

The following thirty one member states have now established internet exchange points;  Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, DR Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland.  Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“The Madagascar Global Internet Exchange (MGIX) will play a leading role and contribute to the development of the internet in Madagascar for the simple reason that the interconnection to this exchange will enable professional networks such as research communities, institutions and Internet access providers or operators to exchange data over the Internet without leaving the national infrastructure. Members of the MGI Association will benefit from shared services and facilities to facilitate exchange and data transfers, internal communications and transactions. Said, Hon. Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and New Technologies of Madagascar.”

“For over three decades since its establishment, the OAU focused on the struggle to free the continent from colonial domination and racial oppression. With that protracted struggle largely over with huge success, the Heads of State and Government decided, in their Sirte Declaration of 1999, to transform the OAU into AU and push forward Africa’s developmental and integration agenda. In the context of celebrating 50 years, the AU Heads of State and Government  agreed to develop a Continental  Agenda 2063  The overall objective of Agenda 2063 is to chart Africa’s development trajectory over the next 50 years. One of the envisaged activity is putting in place an intra-African broad band terrestrial infrastructure. Said H.E. Dr. Elham M.A. Ibrahim, AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy.”

“Africa is currently paying overseas carriers to exchange intra- continental traffic on our behalf. This is both costly as well as an inefficient way of handling exchange of local Internet traffic. It is in this context that the African Union initiated the African Internet Exchange System project to promote keeping of intra-Africa’s internet traffic within the continent by supporting the establishment of National Internet Exchange Points and Regional Internet Exchange Points in Africa. Added H.E. Dr. Elham Ibrahim, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy.”

The launch was officiated by Hon. Neypatraily .A. RAKOTOMAMONIY, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and New Technologies of Madagascar and H.E. Dr. Elham Ibrahim, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy and attended by Senior Government Officials, and Leaders of the Industry.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union Commission (AUC).