African governments are stifling telecoms development by failing to sell more bandwidth to mobile phone operators, a mistake that could undermine growth in the world's poorest continent.

After an explosion in the use of mobiles for phone calls, consumers in countries such as South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya are increasingly using them to access the Internet.

That requires more spectrum, the range of radio waves set aside for cellular networks. But many governments in sub Saharan Africa lack the motivation, know-how and money needed to auction more bandwidth to meet the demand, industry participants and analysts say, which bodes ill for economies.

The World Bank estimates that with every 10 percent growth in broadband penetration, African economies grow by a corresponding 1.4 percent.

"The governments do not know how to release it and do not see the importance of prioritising the release of spectrum," said Peter Lyons, a director of spectrum policy at GSMA, a UK-based mobile industry body.

Africa chokes telecoms growth by hoarding spectrum - http://reut.rs/UVzMsl



The mobile phone in Africa is now a basic right and an economical enabler. No time for dim thinking by African govts about how to boost their telco industries. Change is inevitable and the sooner they embrace it the better.

“We have started noticing reductions in import volumes. Traders are conscious about the elections period and we should expect little imports beginning January next year”, he said in an exclusive interview with The New Times.

He observed that last year, the imports were increasing by 20 per cent compared to 4 per cent this year, adding that in January they expect total reduction, meaning that few imports would pass through the Mombasa port.

The drop in imports means that some goods will not be available on the market, which could trigger price hikes.

The Bill allows candidates to receive contributions through harambees but bars foreign governments, non government, the State or any public institution. Surplus campaign funds held by a candidate or a party shall be submitted to the commission.

The EA hot money roadmap - http://www.nation.co.ke/...8/-/esbnpu/-/index.html

As usual infrastructure targets billions of USD to realize.

Moody's cut the triple-A rating of the European Stability Mechanism euro rescue fund on Friday by one notch and gave it a negative outlook, citing its earlier downgrade of key ESM backer France. The French downgrade on November 19 "reflects the rating agency's view that there has been a marginal diminution in the certainty that the sovereign will fulfill its financial obligations" including its commitment to support the ESM. Moody's put the ESM's new rating at Aa1, and also cut the ESM predecessor, the European Financial Stability Facility, to a "provisional" Aa1 from provisional Aaa, for the same reason, AFP reported.

During the last week I've been in South and East Africa to advance key elements of President Obama's "Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa," focusing on the promotion of economic growth, trade and investment in the continent.

On Wednesday in Johannesburg,.......

Then, on Thursday and Friday, I traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, to meet with heads of state and senior trade ministers from the East African Community (EAC), a regional organization that includes Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. We signed an agreement to launch the Commercial Dialogue between the EAC and the U.S., the first of its kind in Africa. Our goal is to create an environment where American businesses can both invest in the region and sell their products and services to meet the increasing demand from the growing middle class in East Africa.