Amsterdam — In the framework of its network expansion, CELTEL CONGO (RDC) has launched its operations in the town of BUNIA, Ituri Region, in the Oriental Province of the DRC.
Further to its presence in the towns of BENI and BUTEMBO in the North Kivu province in February 2003, CELTEL's establishment in the town of BUNIA is particularly significant for several reasons. Namely, the East of the DRC has been plagued by war for over five years and the population is desperate to regain contact with the rest of the country and the world after this isolation.
For CELTEL, already present in 27 towns in DRC (located in 9 of the 11 Provinces of the country), the launch in Bunia is not simply another technological landmark in a country with virtually no infrastructure. It is a source of substantial joy and CELTEL does not hide its pride for remaining faithful to its promise of delivering high quality and affordable telecommunications services that connect people across continents. At present in DRC, from North to South and from East to West, CELTEL provides access to the world of telecommunications to over 18 million Congolese.
It is undoubtedly in light of this observation coupled with the unquestionable success of CELTEL that the Union des Journalistes de la Presse Politique [Union of Political Affairs Journalists] voted this company as the Meilleure Entreprise Congolaise en Matière de Télécommunications [Best Telecommunications Enterprise in Congo] and its Managing Director, Mr Robert GELDERLOOS, as Meilleur Patriote Congolais [Best Congolese Patriot] for the year 2002. During the ceremony organised for this event on March 29, 2003, the 'Best Congolese Patriot', Mr. Robert GELDERLOOS, emphasised that Celtel "provides the best telecommunications network to the Congolese population which has a catalyst effect regarding development and contributes substantially to the unification of the country as well as the integration of the Congolese society. This is Celtel's vision; it is the mission which it has assigned to itself."
In addition to the above mentioned efforts, Celtel is convinced that the success of its Pan African operations is also largely attributable to the implication of Congolese as well as other Africans in general. The ambition of MSI - Cellular Investments, Celtel's holding company, is to ensure a transfer of technology and competences to Africans through the 13 countries in which Celtel operates. "We find a Congolese as Operations Director in Celtel Gabon, a Zimbabwean as Projects Director in Kinshasa, a Mauritian as well as an individual from Madagascar as Regional Directors in Mbuji Mayi and Lubumbashi." This is an illustration of the pan African nature of Celtel; this phenomenon and objective underpins the original and ambitious slogan of the enterprise, namely: 'Africa my continent, Congo my country, Celtel my network.'
Celtel distinguishes itself by its high standards of transparency, professional ethics as well as its deep respect for the legislation regulating the commercial arena of the country in which it operates. "It is entirely normal that," insists Mr Robert GELDERLOOS, "commercial enterprises pay all taxes since the Government and society need these revenues to build roads, hospitals, and schools which the population urgently requires."
The success of Celtel's major principles and themes contribute in building and forging an image of a company with strong roots not only to the national community, but to the entire African society. With Celtel's launch in BUNIA, one can confidently state that with respect to telecommunications in DRC, "It is really Celtel's business!"
Notes to Editors
MSI has been licensed by 12 Governments in Africa, representing more than one-third of the population of the African continent, to operate GSM cellular networks, which are mainly branded "Celtel".
MSI has operations in Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, the Republic of Congo ("Congo Brazzaville"), Gabon, Sierra Leone, Chad, Burkina Faso and Democratic Republic of Congo ("Congo Kinshasa"), Sudan and Niger. In Tanzania, MSI has a 35% equity stake and management control of Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL). TTCL launched the Celtel Tanzania cellular network as an independent subsidiary company. In Egypt, MSI is a founding shareholder and minority partner in Vodafone Egypt.
Shareholders in MSI include:
- CDC Capital Partners, a leading risk capital investor in emerging markets, with over US$1.5 billion invested in some 50 emerging countries. -
- IFC (International Finance Corporation) the private sector arm of the World Bank and the largest source of private equity for developing countries. -
- AIG Infrastructure Fund, sponsored by AIG and managed by EMP, the largest private equity infrastructure manager in emerging markets with nearly US$5 billion under management. -
- Zephyr Asset Management, the US based emerging market fund. -
- Citigroup, the global financial services group. -
- Bessemer Venture Partners, the investment arm of one of the oldest funds in the USA. -
- Palio, the Swiss technology investment company. -
- FMO, the Dutch development institution and DEG, the German development institution.
- Old Mutual Asset Management in South Africa -
Visit MSI's website on www.msi-cellular.com.
