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<h1 class="titlebox"><z> <z>Africa</z> <z>to</z> <z>launch</z> <z>own</z>
<z>Internet</z> <z>exchange</z> <z>point</z></z></h1>
<span class="timebox"><z><z>Updated</z>: 2012<z>-</z>10<z>-</z>18
16:12</z></span>
<div class="authorbox"><z> ( <z>Xinhua</z>)</z></div>
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<p><z><z>BANJUL</z> - <z>An</z> <z>African</z> <z>Union</z> (<z>AU</z>)
<z>Internet</z> <z>expert</z> <z>said</z> <z>Wednesday</z> <z>that</z>
<z>Africa</z> <z>would</z> <z>establish</z> <z>its</z> <z>own</z>
<z>Internet</z> <z>Exchange</z> <z>Point</z> <z>in</z> <z>Gambia</z>
<z>to</z> <z>avoid</z> <z>costly</z> <z>fees</z> <z>paid</z>
<z>to</z> <z>overseas</z> <z>service</z> <z>providers</z>.</z></p>
<p><z><z>The</z> <z>African</z> <z>Union</z> <z>Commission</z> <z>had</z>
<z>decided</z> <z>to</z> <z>finance</z> <z>the</z> <z>African</z>
<z>Internet</z> <z>exchange</z> <z>program</z>, <z>one</z> <z>of</z>
<z>whose</z> <z>major</z> <z>projects</z> <z>was</z> <z>the</z>
<z>Gambia</z> <z>exchange</z> <z>point</z>, <z>Moses</z> <z>Bagingana</z>
<z>said</z> <z>at</z> <z>the</z> <z>opening</z> <z>ceremony</z>
<z>of</z> <z>a</z> <z>stakeholders</z>' <z>forum</z> <z>here</z>
<z>about</z> <z>ways</z> <z>to</z> <z>establish</z> <z>the</z>
<z>site</z>.</z></p>
<p><z><z>He</z> <z>said</z> <z>Africa</z> <z>needed</z> <z>to</z>
<z>find</z> <z>ways</z> <z>of</z> <z>optimizing</z> <z>Internet</z>
<z>traffic</z> <z>in</z> <z>the</z> <z>continent</z> <z>and</z>
<z>boosting</z> <z>Internet</z> <z>connection</z> <z>with</z>
<z>other</z> <z>continents</z>.</z></p>
<p><z><z>Bagingana</z> <z>said</z> <z>the</z> <z>Internet</z> <z>exchange</z>
<z>program</z> <z>would</z> <z>encourage</z> <z>regional</z>
<z>trade</z> <z>integration</z>, <z>and</z> <z>create</z> <z>various</z>
<z>opportunities</z> <z>for</z> <z>Africans</z>.</z></p>
<p><z><z>Gambian</z> <z>Minister</z> <z>of</z> <z>Communication</z>
<z>Information</z> <z>and</z> <z>Infrastructure</z> <z>Nancy</z>
<z>Nyang</z> <z>said</z> <z>Gambia</z> <z>was</z> <z>attaching</z>
<z>great</z> <z>importance</z> <z>to</z> <z>the</z> <z>program</z>,
<z>noting</z> <z>Internet</z> <z>broad</z> <z>band</z> <z>cables</z>
<z>would</z> <z>be</z> <z>launched</z> <z>very</z> <z>soon</z>
<z>to</z> <z>improve</z> <z>international</z> <z>connectivity</z>.</z></p>
<p><z><z>AU</z> <z>leaders</z> <z>have</z> <z>adopted</z> <z>a</z>
<z>declaration</z> <z>to</z> <z>strengthen</z> <z>national</z>
<z>and</z> <z>regional</z> <z>broad</z> <z>band</z> <z>infrastructure</z>
<z>and</z> <z>build</z> <z>up</z> <z>the</z> <z>Gambia</z> <z>Internet</z>
<z>exchange</z> <z>point</z>.<br>
</z></p>
<p><z><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2012-10/18/content_15828459.htm">http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2012-10/18/content_15828459.htm</a><br>
</z></p>
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