Punitive mobile call rates unhealthy for regional integration

As the world continues to be a small global village thanks to modern communication technology, countries are more aggressively embracing multilateral cooperation. Regional integration today is much stronger than ever before with some regions yearning for confederation. Africa is not left behind in this regard with some leaders floating the idea of the United States of Africa. 

Traditional regional integration efforts on the continent have largely been championed through regional trade blocs. Key among such blocs include the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), Communauté Économique des États de l'Afrique Centrale (CEEAC), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU). All of these bodies have been driven by common objective: to promote free movement of people and goods across their borders.

Although the above-named bodies have had their fair share of successes and failures, the continent has not given up. The African Union (AU) is relentlessly championing increased integration of the continent. On 21 March 2018, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was signed at the extraordinary Summit of the Assembly of the AU in Kigali, Rwanda. However, this was preceded by the African Free Trade Zone (AFTZ) that was created by SADC, COMESA & EAC. Since the formation of the World Trade Organization, AfCFTA is the largest trade area in the world in terms of member countries.

Such efforts at regional integration are commendable. However, There is one crucial aspect that has always been ignored. The continent seems disinterested in addressing the question of cross-border mobile communication costs. With the flooding of mobile telephones on the continent, prohibitive mobile communication costs discourage faster and effective interaction among Africans. 

Africa has one of the most punitive mobile international calling rates in the world. Ironically, some countries offer cheaper call rates to non-African countries than to African countries. For example, Kenya's largest mobile operator, Safaricom, charges Kes 5 per minute to call the United States, Canada, India and China. However, the same company's per minute charges for calls to neighboring countries are more than double what it charges in the aforementioned countries. Safaricom charges Kes 10 to call Uganda, Kes 25 to call Tanzania, Kes 10 for calls going to Rwanda and Kes 25 for outgoing calls to Burundi. For the rest of African countries, the call rate is Kes 40 per minute. It is ridiculous!

I am not an expert in mobile call rate charges. I do not know what informs the same. But I know such charges can be revised if the African leaders have the will to promote faster interrogation. It does not make sense to me that a mobile phone company gives me the lowest international rates for calls to countries in which I have no single relative or friend. On the other hand, I have my Bamasaba relatives in Uganda and my uncles in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Why I am given punitive call rates to these countries remains a mystery. AU must get out of slumber and address this issue with the urgency it deserves.