Central African Backbone

File:Fibre optique à Ouesso Congo 2015.jpg

The Central African Backbone (CAB) is a fiber-optic Internet backbone connecting the countries of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in Africa via high speed internet. The countries included in the CAB project are: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Republic of the Congo and São Tomé and Príncipe. It's split up into five phases, each phase focusing on the fibre rollout in one or more countries.

List of CAB phases

class="wikitable"
Phase ! Reference ! Countries ! Approval Date ! Closing Date ! Status ! Total Project Cost
Phase 1{{cite web \|url=http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P108368/central-african-backbone-apl1a?lang=en \|title= \|website=www.worldbank.org \|access-date=26 April 2015}}{{title missing\|date=May 2022}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| APL1A \| {{Flagu\|Cameroon}} {{Flagu\|Central African Republic}} {{Flagu\|Chad}} \| 24 September 2009 \| 15 March 2016 \| style="background: #99ff99" \| Finished{{cite web \|url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/100611482161172882/pdf/Central-African-Backbone-APL1A-ICR-P108368-final-cleared-12162016.pdf \|title= \|website=documents.worldbank.org \|access-date=20 January 2020}}{{title missing\|date=May 2022\|format=.pdf}} \| style="text-align:right;" \| $26,730,000 USD
Phase 2{{cite web \|url=http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P117652/central-african-backbone-apl2?lang=en \|title= \|website=www.worldbank.org \|access-date=26 April 2015}}{{title missing\|date=May 2022}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| APL2 \| {{Flagu\|São Tomé and Príncipe}} \| 20 January 2011 \| 31 December 2014 \| style="background: #99ff99" \| Finished{{cite web \|url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/234391468190440376/pdf/ICR3141-P117652-Box391488B-OUO-9.pdf \|title= \|website=documents.worldbank.org \|access-date=20 January 2020}}{{title missing\|date=May 2022\|format=.pdf}} \| style="text-align:right;" \| $14,900,000 USD
Phase 3{{cite web \|url=http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P122398/central-african-backbone-apl3-republic-congo?lang=en \|title= \|website=www.worldbank.org \|access-date=26 April 2015}}{{title missing\|date=May 2022}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| APL3 \| {{Flagu\|Republic of the Congo}} \| 25 May 2011 \| 29 October 2019 \| style="background: #99ff99" \| Finished{{cite web \|url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/771951572880867186/pdf/Congo-Republic-of-Third-Phase-of-the-Central-African-Backbone-Program-Project.pdf \|title= \|website=documents.worldbank.org \|access-date=18 January 2020}}{{title missing\|date=May 2022\|format=.pdf}} \| style="text-align:right;" \| $33,680,000 USD
Phase 4{{cite web \|url=https://projects.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/project-detail/P122776 \|title=Development Projects : Central African Backbone - APL4 - Gabon - P122776 \|website=projects.worldbank.org \|access-date=24 May 2021}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| APL4 \| {{Flagu\|Gabon}} \| 28 March 2012 \| 9 April 2021 \| style="background: #99ff99" \| Finished{{cite web \|url=https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/622871619791053067/pdf/Gabon-Fourth-Phase-of-the-Central-African-Backbone-Program-Gabon-Project.pdf \|title= \|website=documents1.worldbank.org \|access-date=25 May 2021}}{{title missing\|date=May 2022\|format=.pdf}} \| style="text-align:right;" \| $132,000,000 USD
Phase 5{{cite web \|url=http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P132821?lang=en \|title= \|website=www.worldbank.org \|access-date=26 April 2015}}{{title missing\|date=May 2022}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| SOP5 \| {{Flagu\|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} \| 16 July 2014 \| 31 March 2022 \| style="background: #99ff99" \| Finished{{cite web \|url=https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/271291649102938232/pdf/Eastern-Africa-Central-African-Backbone-SOP5-Project.pdf \|title= \|website=documents1.worldbank.org \|access-date=8 April 2022}}{{title missing\|date=May 2022\|format=.pdf}} \| style="text-align:right;" \| $38,093,000 USD

class="wikitable"

Phase

! Reference

! Countries

! Approval Date

! Closing Date

! Status

! Total Project Cost

Phase 1{{cite web |url=http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P108368/central-african-backbone-apl1a?lang=en |title= |website=www.worldbank.org |access-date=26 April 2015}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;" | APL1A

| {{Flagu|Cameroon}}
{{Flagu|Central African Republic}}
{{Flagu|Chad}}

| 24 September 2009

| 15 March 2016

| style="background: #99ff99" | Finished{{cite web |url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/100611482161172882/pdf/Central-African-Backbone-APL1A-ICR-P108368-final-cleared-12162016.pdf |title= |website=documents.worldbank.org |access-date=20 January 2020}}{{title missing|date=May 2022|format=.pdf}}

| style="text-align:right;" | $26,730,000 USD

Phase 2{{cite web |url=http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P117652/central-african-backbone-apl2?lang=en |title= |website=www.worldbank.org |access-date=26 April 2015}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;" | APL2

| {{Flagu|São Tomé and Príncipe}}

| 20 January 2011

| 31 December 2014

| style="background: #99ff99" | Finished{{cite web |url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/234391468190440376/pdf/ICR3141-P117652-Box391488B-OUO-9.pdf |title= |website=documents.worldbank.org |access-date=20 January 2020}}{{title missing|date=May 2022|format=.pdf}}

| style="text-align:right;" | $14,900,000 USD

Phase 3{{cite web |url=http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P122398/central-african-backbone-apl3-republic-congo?lang=en |title= |website=www.worldbank.org |access-date=26 April 2015}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;" | APL3

| {{Flagu|Republic of the Congo}}

| 25 May 2011

| 29 October 2019

| style="background: #99ff99" | Finished{{cite web |url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/771951572880867186/pdf/Congo-Republic-of-Third-Phase-of-the-Central-African-Backbone-Program-Project.pdf |title= |website=documents.worldbank.org |access-date=18 January 2020}}{{title missing|date=May 2022|format=.pdf}}

| style="text-align:right;" | $33,680,000 USD

Phase 4{{cite web |url=https://projects.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/project-detail/P122776 |title=Development Projects : Central African Backbone - APL4 - Gabon - P122776 |website=projects.worldbank.org |access-date=24 May 2021}}

| style="text-align:center;" | APL4

| {{Flagu|Gabon}}

| 28 March 2012

| 9 April 2021

| style="background: #99ff99" | Finished{{cite web |url=https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/622871619791053067/pdf/Gabon-Fourth-Phase-of-the-Central-African-Backbone-Program-Gabon-Project.pdf |title= |website=documents1.worldbank.org |access-date=25 May 2021}}{{title missing|date=May 2022|format=.pdf}}

| style="text-align:right;" | $132,000,000 USD

Phase 5{{cite web |url=http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P132821?lang=en |title= |website=www.worldbank.org |access-date=26 April 2015}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;" | SOP5

| {{Flagu|Democratic Republic of the Congo}}

| 16 July 2014

| 31 March 2022

| style="background: #99ff99" | Finished{{cite web |url=https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/271291649102938232/pdf/Eastern-Africa-Central-African-Backbone-SOP5-Project.pdf |title= |website=documents1.worldbank.org |access-date=8 April 2022}}{{title missing|date=May 2022|format=.pdf}}

| style="text-align:right;" | $38,093,000 USD

Funding

The project is funded by a loan from the World Bank, initially estimated at $160 million USD.{{cite web |url=http://go.worldbank.org/MPTI3O2IS0 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416053316/http://go.worldbank.org/MPTI3O2IS0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 16, 2013 |title= |website=go.worldbank.org |access-date=26 April 2015 }}{{title missing|date=May 2022}} As of 2015, total World Bank funding for the project is at $206 million USD, and the total project cost, including financing from other sources than the World Bank, is estimated at $273 million USD.

CAB in Cameroon

In Cameroon the CAB runs from the coast, through the capital of Yaoundé, to the north east where it meets up with the Chadian part of the backbone.{{cite web |url=http://www.itu.int/itu-d/tnd-map-public/ |title=ITU Interactive Terrestrial Transmission/ESCAP Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway Maps |website=www.itu.int |access-date=28 April 2015}}

CAB in Central African Republic

The deployment of the CAB in the Central African Republic was slowed down by the political instability in 2012-2013.{{cite web |url=http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/SDN/2013/03/23/090224b081a12700/1_0/Rendered/PDF/Africa000Centr0Report000Sequence007.pdf |title= Documents & Reports - All Documents | the World Bank|website=www-wds.worldbank.org |access-date=28 April 2015}}{{title missing|date=May 2022|format=.pdf}} It runs from Chad in the north to the capital of Bangui.

CAB in Chad

In Chad the CAB runs from N'Djamena towards the south where it forks off in two directions, one towards Cameroon and one towards the Central African Republic.

CAB in Democratic Republic of the Congo

In Democratic Republic of the Congo the CAB will run from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi and Kisangani.{{cite web |url=http://www.agenceecofin.com/infrastructures/2403-27572-kinshasa-lubumbashi-et-kisangani-bientot-connectees-et-interconnectees-par-fibre-optique |title=Kinshasa, Lubumbashi et Kisangani bientôt connectées et interconnectées par fibre optique |website=www.agenceecofin.com |access-date=28 April 2015}}

CAB in Gabon

In Gabon the CAB runs from Libreville to Franceville, and from thereon it splits in two directions, one towards Lékoni and another towards Koulamoutou.{{cite web |url=http://gabonreview.com/blog/projet-fibre-optique-backbone-1100-km/ |title=Projet de fibre optique : Contrat pour un backbone 1100 km |website=gabonreview.com |date= 16 October 2014|access-date=28 April 2015}}

CAB in Republic of the Congo

In Republic of the Congo the CAB runs from the port city of Pointe-Noire to Brazzaville, and from thereon north to Ouesso.{{cite web |url=http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regulatory-Market/Documents/Brazzavile/Session9%20-1%20Luc%20Missidimbazi%20%282%29.pdf |title= |website=www.itu.int |access-date=28 April 2015}}{{title missing|date=May 2022|format=.pdf}}

CAB in São Tomé and Príncipe

In São Tomé and Príncipe the CAB runs in the capital of São Tomé{{cite web |url=http://www.stpdigital.net/sociedade/688-sao-tome-entrou-na-era-do-cabo-de-fibra-optica.html |title= |website=www.stpdigital.net |access-date=28 April 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}

International terrestrial fibre interconnection

The CAB crosses several international borders, including a Cameroon-Chad interconnection,{{cite web |url=http://www.journalducameroun.com/article.php?aid=10937 |title=Journal du Cameroun - Actualités et Infos en direct au Cameroun et dans le Monde |website=www.journalducameroun.com |access-date=28 April 2015}} a Chad-CAR interconnection, a Congo-DRC interconnection between Brazzaville and Kinshasa,http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/86452 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063658/http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/86452 |date=2016-03-04 }} | Retrieved on 28 April 2015. as well as a Congo-Gabon interconnection between running from Dolisie along the Congo–Ocean Railway, and through Mont-Mbelo, Makabana, Mossendjo and Mbinda, before crossing over into Gabon.{{cite web |url=http://www.agenceecofin.com/infrastructures/1512-25129-huawei-va-interconnecter-le-congo-au-gabon-par-fibre-optique-pour-12-milliards-de-fcfa |title=Huawei va interconnecter le Congo au Gabon par fibre optique pour 12 milliards de FCFA |website=www.agenceecofin.com |access-date=28 April 2015}}