Kigali, Rwanda – 22nd October, 2015: The African Union Commission (AUC), through the Infrastructure and Energy Department in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and ICT of Rwanda, launched the AU Support towards the Rwanda Internet Exchange Point to become one of the regional internet exchange points for Eastern Africa.

Through the African Internet Exchange System (AXIS) project, the African Union Commission has so far extended capacity building support to facilitate the establishment of internet exchange points in 30 Member States.

With the support of the African Union Commission, the following twelve Member States have since set up their Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Liberia, Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles and Swaziland.

“The African Internet Exchange System and the One Africa Network projects will contribute to lowering of communication costs in Africa. Said, Hon. Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Minister of Youth and ICT of Rwanda.”

The African Union Commission plans to award grants to ten internet exchange points in Africa to grow and become regional internet exchange points. Following two calls for proposals issued through open tendering, internet exchange points in six Member States have so far been awarded grants to grow to become regional internet exchange points.

Africa is currently paying overseas carriers to exchange intra- continental traffic on our behalf. This is both costly as well as an inefficient way of handling exchange of intra-continental Internet traffic. “Said H.E. AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy.”
“I hereby declare the official launch of the AU Support to the Internet Exchange Point of Rwanda to become one of the regional internet exchange points for Eastern Africa. Added H.E. Dr. Elham Ibrahim, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy.”

For more information on the African Internet Exchange System Project of the African Union, visit www.au.int/axis