What are the issues involved in repatriating the headquarters of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) to the DRC?

First and foremost, the Constitution of the Union, from its inception, that is, at the time of the Pan-African Telecommunications Union (PATU), and even in its current form, formally and legally establishes the headquarters of the Union in Kinshasa. Thus, until 1997, the headquarters of the ATU was indeed in Kinshasa. It is therefore, above all, a duty of responsibility and commitment to effectively bring this headquarters back to Kinshasa. Every effort is being made to achieve this.

Africa is also facing a challenge, that of connecting the north to the south and the west to the east of its extent without indulging in the complex and expensive contours of its territory. The only country that can connect the north to the south and the east to the west of the continent, by its geostrategic position, right in the center of the continent with the regional record of 9 neighboring countries, is the DRC. Our country is therefore positioned as a true hub, a crossroads of telecommunications traffic on the continent and a gateway to the world.

Finally, it is also a matter of pride and diplomatic presence, because it will be the only headquarters of a major international organization that the DRC hosts on its national territory. 

Can you tell us about the project to develop the Master Plan for the development of digital infrastructure?

As for the infrastructure development plan, we have developed a project for the deployment of a national broadband network integrating a national fiber optic transmission system and the modernized satellite system, which will ensure the complete coverage of the country and will allow the population to access universal services of better quality at an affordable cost. It will also include seven data centers, strategically distributed throughout the Republic.

The cable part of this project will bring our existing network to a total of almost 48,000 km, with the following characteristics:

– 18,000 km of fiber deployed through natural routes such as the Congo River and its tributaries;

– 30,000 km of underground fiber following the national road routes;

– Having an initial transmission capacity of one Terabit per second with the objective of reaching 15 Terabits per second within 5 years.

The satellite part of this project will consist of:

– The construction of a modern teleport to ensure the distribution of the satellite signal in the 26 provinces;

– The modernization of the 53 earth stations of the National satellite network;

– The acquisition of a major dedicated transponder, which will allow the progressive consolidation of the “Congolese space segment”.

With a view to interoperability between the two networks, the cable system will connect all satellite earth stations and rely on them to cover areas not served by fiber, ensure redundancy and provide last-mile connectivity.

To achieve this, we have called on private companies and donors to come and invest alongside the Congolese government. We have also implemented tax breaks to be granted to companies interested in investing in high-speed transmission links and finally, we have activated the establishment of the universal service fund to promote telecommunications and the use of new information and communication technologies in rural and peri-urban areas, which are economically weak areas.

What is the status of connectivity in the most remote areas of the country, particularly in rural areas? 

While progressing slowly, connectivity in rural and remote areas is nevertheless progressing. Digital inclusion is a priority for the government, with a view to the DRC's economic development through its digital transformation, including all segments of the population, wherever they may be.  

Several public initiatives and those in partnership with the telecommunications industry, mainly with mobile phone operators, are moving in this direction.

Also, the imminent implementation of the Universal Service Fund (FSU) as well as certain incentive measures to encourage establishment in these poorly served and less economically profitable environments, are likely to strengthen this digital inclusion. 

Are you using satellite telecommunications as a strategic and priority means of communication, just like optical fiber? 

Far beyond the will and missions of the Government, the natural context and the environment of the DRC force us to make satellite a basic infrastructure for transporting communications in the same way as optical fiber. 

Due to its size and diverse nature, the DRC cannot offer inclusive telecommunications services to its entire population solely through optical fiber, as it is impossible to cover the entire country with optical fiber on the primary or main network, i.e. the national backbone and even on metropolitan networks. This is why in the DRC, the satellite telecommunications infrastructure is not only a redundancy or palliative solution to optical fiber, but is itself a basic telecommunications infrastructure as much as optical fiber, which led the DRC to request and obtain from the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO) the protection of Article IV(b) which gives the requesting country the same level of priority and protection of its satellite communications as optical fiber.