Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Internet by Satellite for Connecting the African Continent: A Glance on the Partnership Between Rwanda and the Private Company OneWeb

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Space Fostering African Societies

Part of the book series: Southern Space Studies ((SOSPST))

Abstract

This contribution will address the importance of Internet by satellite for the benefit of African citizens, and in particular, for education which is part of the “aspirations” established in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. In order to connect the African Continent, the cooperation between States and private companies is of utmost importance with the goal of developing further the space market. Moreover, this contribution will emphasize how space applications can be deployed to support the development of African societies. In a more specific way, how these applications can be increasingly used to bolster development and education in rural zone. It will take as reference the case of Rwanda which recently launched a satellite in partnership with the private entity OneWeb. Finally, the African Union should continue to support the development of space programs at national and regional levels but also by setting up a clear space policy strategy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    African Union’s Agenda 2063: https://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/pdf/au/agenda2063.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  2. 2.

    Lo Spiegone, January 7, 2018: https://lospiegone.com/2018/01/07/agenda-2063-unafrica-senza-confini/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  3. 3.

    See Osborne (J.), Ebert (M.), Georgakas (S.), Hernandez Villatoro (R.), Johnson (C.), Modi (H.), Topham (R.), Assisting Development Across the African Continent Using Space Applications, 63rd IAC, 2012, ISU, pp. 7–8; Space in Africa, Why You Need to Bother Investing in the African Space Technology Sector, October 24, 2018: https://africanews.space/why-you-need-to-bother-investing-in-the-african-space-technology-sector/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  4. 4.

    Point 51 of the AU Agenda 2063.

  5. 5.

    Akinyede (J.O.), Adepoju (K.A.), Prospects and Challenges of Building Capacity for Space Science and Technology Development in Africa, ISPRS Commission VI Mid-Term Symposium, 2010, pp. 82–91; UN Doc, Report on the United Nations/South Africa Symposium on Basic Space Technology: Small Satellite Missions for Scientific and Technological Advancement (A/AC.105/C.1/2018/CRP.9), February 8, 2018: http://www.unoosa.org/res/oosadoc/data/documents/2018/aac_105c_12018crp/aac_105c_12018crp_9_0_html/AC105_C1_2018_CRP09E.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019); CNN, May 16, 2018: https://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/10/africa/africa-space-race/index.html (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  6. 6.

    AfricaNews, March 12, 2019: https://www.africanews.com/2019/03/12/tracking-africa-s-race-to-space/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  7. 7.

    12th EUMETSAT User Forum in Africa, African Space Policy and Strategy, September 13, 2016: https://ufa.eumetsat.int/userfiles/file/African%20Space%20Policy%20and%20Strategy.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  8. 8.

    African Union, African Union Heads of State and Government Adopts the African Space Policy and Strategy, January 31, 2016: https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20160131-3 (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  9. 9.

    African Telecommunications Union, ICT Infrastructure: http://atu-uat.org/ict-infrastructure/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  10. 10.

    http://www.rascom.org/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  11. 11.

    African Telecommunications Union, op.cit.

  12. 12.

    Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and other Celestial Objects (1967), 610 UNTS 2015.

  13. 13.

    Republic of Rwanda, Ministry of Education: http://mineduc.gov.rw/media/news/details-news/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=903&cHash=83bd471ed45a74c47383b19f03919ed3 (last accessed April 24, 2019); Space in Africa, Rwanda and OneWeb partner to launch Icyerekezo communication satellite, February 28, 2019: https://africanews.space/rwanda-and-oneweb-partner-launch-icyerekezo-communication-satellite/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  14. 14.

    Ospina (S.), The Digital Divide and Space Activities in the Southern Hemisphere: A General Overview of Africa and South Africa, Proceeding of the 54th IISL Coll. on the Law of Outer Space, Cape Town, South Africa, Vol. 54, 2011, pp. 266–283.

  15. 15.

    AllAfrica, Rwanda Launches Icyerekezo Satellite to Connect Rural Schools to the Internet, March 1, 2019: https://allafrica.com/stories/201903010506.html (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  16. 16.

    OneWeb: https://www.oneweb.world/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  17. 17.

    IGL, Rwanda Launches Satellite to Connect Remote School to Internet, February 27, 2019: https://www.infosgrandslacs.info/productions/rwanda-launches-satellite-connect-remote-school-internet (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  18. 18.

    The Guardian, ‘Uber for Blood’: How Rwandan Delivery Robots Are Saving Lives, January 2, 2018: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/jan/02/rwanda-scheme-saving-blood-drone (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  19. 19.

    Hiiran, Rwanda Launches Satellite to Connect Remote Schools to Internet, March 2, 2019: https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2019/Mar/162530/rwanda_launches_satellite_to_connect_remote_schools_to_internet.aspx (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  20. 20.

    AllAfrica, Rwanda Launches Icyerekezo…, op.cit.: https://allafrica.com/stories/201903010506.html.

  21. 21.

    Republic of Rwanda, Ministry of Education: http://mineduc.gov.rw/media/news/details-news/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=903&cHash=83bd471ed45a74c47383b19f03919ed3 (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  22. 22.

    Liberty Writers Africa, Rwanda Launches Satellite to Connect Rural Schools to the Internet, March 1, 2019: https://libertywritersafrica.com/rwanda-launches-satellite-to-connect-rural-schools-to-the-internet/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  23. 23.

    UNICEF, Project Connect: https://www.projectconnect.world/ (last accessed April 24, 2019). “Map School Connectivity Glabally and Eliminate the Digital Divide, Increasing Opportunity for Every Community”.

  24. 24.

    ITU, Bridging the Gender Digital Divide, January 2018: https://www.itu.int/en/Lists/consultationOct2017/Attachments/59/1801%20Input%20EQUALS%20Action%20Map%20CWG%20Internet%20Consultation.%20v4.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019); see also ITU, The State of Broadband: Broadband Catalyzing Sustainable Development, September 2017: https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/opb/pol/S-POL-BROADBAND.18-2017-PDF-E.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  25. 25.

    Rwandaful, The Hague, Issue 83, February 2019: http://www.netherlands.embassy.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/RwandaFul-TheHague-83.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  26. 26.

    AMIStaDes, L’Idea di OneWeb: Internet dallo Spazio, March 25, 2019: https://www.amistades.info/blog/l-idea-di-oneweb-internet-dallo-spazio?fbclid=IwAR0ncHJK1k7qJ6_XMkjsSJnL-GAFWSNHpACdMcX4RYUuBAxd2OuijIZ3dis (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  27. 27.

    Hemispere Cable Company SL, Intercontinental Submarine Cable Communication in High Demand: https://www.hccwasace.com/2018/12/02/intercontinental-submarine-cable-communication-in-high-demand/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  28. 28.

    Antonio (A.), Tuffley (D.), The Gender Digital Divide in Developing Countries, Future Internet, 6, 2014, pp.673-687; See also European Parliament, Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs, The Underlying Causes of the Digital Gender Gap and Possible Solutions for Enhanced Digital Inclusion of Women and Girls, PE 604.940, March 2018: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/604940/IPOL_STU(2018)604940_EN.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  29. 29.

    Paul B. Larsen, Small Satellite Legal Issues, Journal of Air Law and Commerce, Vol. 82, Issue 2, 2017, pp. 275–309.

  30. 30.

    Francis Lyall, Paul B. Larsen, Space Law A Treatise, 2018, Routledge, p.239 ss.

  31. 31.

    NASA archive, Best Practices for Operations of Satellite Constellations: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20080039173.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019); The Verge, As Satellite Constellations Grow Larger, NASA Is Worried About Orbital Debris, Sept 28, 2018: https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/28/17906158/nasa-spacex-oneweb-satellite-large-constellations-orbital-debris (last accessed April 24, 2019); NASA – Quarterly News, Orbital Debris, Vol.22, Issue 3, Sept. 2018: https://www.orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/quarterly-news/pdfs/odqnv22i3.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  32. 32.

    Space in Africa, OneWeb raises $1.25 billion from Rwandan Gvt and others; to mass-produce high-speed internet satellites, March 18, 2019: https://africanews.space/oneweb-raises-1-25-billion-from-rwandan-govt-and-others-to-mass-produce-high-speed-internet-satellites/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  33. 33.

    Aganaba-Jeanty (T.), Towards Realising a Regional African Space Program, Africa Portal, March 26, 2019: https://www.africaportal.org/features/towards-realising-regional-african-space-program/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  34. 34.

    Ibidem.

  35. 35.

    Space in Africa, Ethiopia to Acquire a Communication Satellite Through Ethio Telecom, January 7, 2019: https://africanews.space/ethiopia-to-acquire-a-communication-satellite-through-ethio-telecom/ (last accessed April 24, 2019).

  36. 36.

    African Union Conference of Ministers in charge of Communication and Information Technologies (CITMC-4), 4th Ordinary Session, Khartoum, Sudan, 2–6 September 2012: https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/30935-doc-declaration_khartoum_citmc4_eng_final_2.pdf (last accessed April 24, 2019).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazza Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Anne-Sophie Martin

Authors
  1. Anne-Sophie Martin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne-Sophie Martin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. SpaceLab, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa

    Annette Froehlich

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Martin, AS. (2020). Internet by Satellite for Connecting the African Continent: A Glance on the Partnership Between Rwanda and the Private Company OneWeb. In: Froehlich, A. (eds) Space Fostering African Societies. Southern Space Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32930-3_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32930-3_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-32929-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-32930-3

  • eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation