EC to Fund African Tech Projects LUSAKA, Zambia

EC to Fund African Tech Projects LUSAKA, Zambia -- The European Commission has agreed to provide some €78 million ($121 million U.S.) to help fund IT infrastructure development in countries that are part of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.

Sindiso Ngwenya, assistant secretary general for programs at Comesa, said the financial support will help speed work on cross-border initiatives like Comtel, a telecommunications project that promises to link the regional economic agency's 21 countries with the rest of the world.

The EC funding will also support efforts to boost access to electricity in the member countries of the Lusaka-based organization, which include Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya and Malawi.

Michael Malakata, IDG News Service

Briefly Noted Wolfgang Ziebart has resigned as president and CEO of Infineon Technologies AG over differences of opinion on "future strategic orientation," the Neubiberg, Germany-based chip maker confirmed last week. Executive Vice President Peter Bauer succeeds Ziebert as head of the company.

By Mike Bucken