ZAIRE: AFRICAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS ADMINISTRATORS MEET TO DISCUSS SETTING UP OF EUROPEAN AFRICAN TELEVISION LINK.

Record ID: 473552

  • Title: ZAIRE: AFRICAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS ADMINISTRATORS MEET TO DISCUSS SETTING UP OF EUROPEAN AFRICAN TELEVISION LINK.
  • Date: 6th December 1975
  • Summary: 1. GV Palace of Nations in Kinshasa 0.03 2. GV & SV Dancers outside entrance (2 shots) 0.10 3. GV Delegates watching 0.14 4. GV Dancers and musicians (2 shots) 0.21 5. SV Delegates watching 0.26 6. GV Dancers 0.30 7. GV INTERIOR Chairman's table in conference room with chairman Wabali and officials either side 0.35 8. GV Delegates listening 0.40 9. GV & SV Chairman Wabali addressing delegates (2 shots) 0.48 10. SV Delegates of Nigeria, B.A.D., listening (2 shots) 0.56 11. SV M. Isaac addressing delegates 1.01 12. GV Delegates listening including those from Sudan, OAU (3 shots) 1.14 13. GV M. Isaacs speaking 1.18 14. GV PAN Delegates applauding 1.25 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st December 1975 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KINSHASA, ZAIRE
  • City:
  • Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of
  • Topics:
  • Reuters ID: LVAIIS2HBA3EIF79RBM5LRBWJMY
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: The creation of the PANAFTEL television link which, when complete, will greatly speed up the flow os news between Europe and Africa, is the goal of a meeting taking place in Kinshasa, the capital of Zaire.

    Opening the second conference of African telecommunication administrators on Thursday (4 December) Zaire's State Commissioner for Posts and Telecommunications Colonel Wabali Bakitambisa said he hoped the two week meeting would be an important stepping stone in the realisation of the PANAFTEL link.

    The link will start in the Senegalese capital Dakar in west Africa, and cross the Mediterranean to the Italian capital Rome. From there it will go to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and down via the Nigerian capital Lagos to Kinshasa.

    It was at the annual meeting of African leaders in 1973 in Addis Ababa that the decision was made to form a coordinating committee to tackle the problems of establishing the PANAFTEL link - and there are many problems. The financial one of where the huge sums of money for the project will come from and what share each of the African countries involved will pay is expected to take much discussion.

    Standardisation of equipment is another important point to be worked out. It has been estimated that more than 12,500 miles (20,000 kilometres) of transmission cable will be needed and there will be 18 communication change over centres in the various African countries through which the link passes.

    The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) arranged the meeting. The organisation's representative Mr. Hizekiel Isaac also addressed the delegates on the opening day of the meeting.

    SYNOPSIS: The Palace of Nations building in Kinshasa the capital of Zaire where delegates received a colourful welcome on the first day of the African conference of telecommunications administrators on Thursday. The goal of the meeting is the creation of the PANAFTEL television link which, when complete, will greatly speed the flow of news between Africa and Europe.

    Opening the conference, the chairman, Zaire's State Commissioner for Posts and Telecommunications Colonel Wabali Bakitambisa said he hoped the two week meeting would be an important stepping stone in the realisation of the PANAFTEL link. The link will start in the Senegalese capital Dakar in west Africa, cross the Mediterranean to the Italian capital Rome. From there it will go to the Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and down - via the Nigerian capital Lagos - to Kinshasa.

    The Organisation of African Unity's representative Mr. Hizekiel Isaac also addressed the delegates. The OAU arranged the meeting. Apart from the cost, standardisation of equipment is one of the main problems. It has been estimated that more than twelve thousand five hundred miles of transmission cable will be needed. There will also be eighteen communication change over centres in the African countries through which the link passes.
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