PHOTO: IFC
The IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is working with countries in the Central and South Asia regions and has received official letters from Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan confirming their participation in the Digital Casa project. Kazakhstan has also expressed interest in becoming part of it.
“The Central Asia-South Asia 1,000-megawatt (Casa 1,000) power supply project is going to clear the way for connecting the two regions through a fibre optic cable network, which will link Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan,” an official of the Tajikistan Embassy said.
The existing cable reaches Pakistan after going through a long route. It first goes to Russia, extends to Europe and then comes to Pakistan.
The new project will provide a good route to connect the two regions. It will allow countries in these regions to become independent while connecting to international internet channels. Speaking in mid-October in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, IFC Regional Head for Telecommunications Rajendra Singh noted that countries in Central Asia were landlocked and they depended on other nations to connect to the international channels.
“This leads to low speed and high prices; we are working with countries in the region to persuade them to join the new project,” he said.
According to media reports, Singh noted that the availability of broadband internet is associated with economic growth and employment of the population.
He stressed that high-speed internet access helped facilitate the incorporation of local companies into the global economy, expand trade potential, increase capital productivity and promote market competition.
It also provides new opportunities for individual households, create jobs on the internet and transform the delivery of public services.
It is expected that country projects under the Digital Casa framework will have different components including e-government.
The participation in Digital Casa requires the commitment of governments to the principles of open access to ensure a strong competitive environment in the industry.
Under the programme, the governments and regulators will be provided with assistance to create necessary conditions that will allow the realisation of plans.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 30th, 2016.
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