The Central African Backbone (CAB) National Steering Committee (CPN) held its 5th session on Wednesday 5th April 2016 under the chairmanship of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng who is the Chairperson of the Committee and its Vice-President, Issa Tchiroma

Bakary, Minister of Communication. The items on the agenda include inter alia a review of the state of implementation of the project activities since the last session of the Committee in September 2016. The CPN members also examined and adopted the 2017 action plan and draft budget. A budget that amounts to over CFAF 4 billion.
As a reminder, the CAB project was born from the will of the Central African Heads of State, who during the CEMAC Summit held in NDJAMENA in May 2007, adopted a joint declaration calling for the implementation of a broadband telecommunication network in Central Africa, in line with the regional integration strategy. This aims at encouraging public-private partnerships (PPPs) and developing wholesale markets (network operators).
This declaration by the Heads of State was guided by the lack of a broadband network in each Central African country, including the impact of the high cost of telecommunications / ICT services on the business development in sub-region. Without an access to telecommunications / ICT services at affordable prices and of good quality, trade between and within countries is indeed costly; this limits opportunities for job creation and the production expansion of goods and services.