Breakthrough: Chad launches 3G with Airtel
Foundation stone laid for the African Centre for Information Technology (CATI), a 120-metre tower costing 60 billion CFA francs, as 3G is launched in Chad.
Translated from French. Lire en français
CATI is the African Centre for Information Technology, whose mission can be summed up in a kind of slogan: promoting the expression of African genius. That says it all. Through this initiative rising from the ground in the capital, the Chadian president shows his strong belief in African genius — as his personal involvement in the success of this major futuristic project demonstrates.
Barely 24 hours after SITIC opened, the foundation stone of this communication hub was laid. The project is said to be designed by Africans for Africans. Inspired by the President of the Republic, it will house, among other things, an African radio station and digital terrestrial television channel. A sign of this was the launch of 3G in Chad by President Idriss Deby Itno, made possible by the technological feat of Airtel, Africa’s leading mobile network.
The CATI project will cost 60 billion CFA francs. The CATI tower will rise no less than 120 metres and will certainly be the tallest in the sub-region and beyond: 32 floors over more than 30,000 m². The project’s high points embody the Chadian head of state’s African dream. Africa can and must take its place in the global village.
The planned African television channel, for example, will be tasked with showing the world the images and faces of a beautiful Africa — positive images able to carry messages around the world. “Showing that Africa is moving, Africa is thinking, Africa is acting, Africa is coming together, Africa is establishing good governance, Africa is building itself,” says President Idriss Deby Itno. Through this project, he aims to make the African dream real, beyond positioning the centre as Africa’s official voice and eye.
CATI will house permanent exhibition halls and other spaces that are expected to make it the first incubation centre in all of Africa. Behind this ambitious scale lies the will to drive other Chadian projects, notably solar power. The construction group says the CATI tower will run on solar energy, in line with instructions given by the head of state two years ago: to power the entire business district with solar energy.
On 10 September 2014, in the presence of the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, the Chadian authorities affirmed and demonstrated their ambition to honour Africa’s youth — as shown by the prizes awarded to the various SITIC winners.
- Author:
- Moïse Aignan N.
- Published on:
- Wednesday, 1 October 2014
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