In line with the Brazzaville and Libreville missions; which aimed at equipping the expert members of the CPAC/CAR  with computer facilities, internet connection and initiating interconnections to the CPAC network a similar mission was carried out in the Central African Republic (CAR).

The overall objective was to enable the CPAC community to work not only in close cooperation, but in real-time to find rapid solutions aimed at stabilizing agricultural production and protecting the environment. Worthy of note is the fact that on account of the importance of this mission for the authorities of host countries, the delegation from CPAC Headquarters in Yaoundé spend at least a day going through administrative procedures with a view to putting in place the reception process by the highest authorities.

        The mission was received at the Bangui M'poko airport on 2 March 2009 by Mrs. Brahim Marie-Honorine the local agent.

Shortly after our arrival, the delegation went to the Ministry of Agriculture where it handed the computer equipment for installation to begin. Meantime, the delegation paid courtesy visits to the country officials to signify their presence in the country.  There was a problem related to the reception of the equipment by the authorities.  In absence of the Minister of Agriculture, a meeting took place between the mission from Yaoundé and the acting director of cabinet (DIRCAB), Mr. BISSEFI Michel in the presence of his close collaborators namely Mr. GOTHAR-BASSEBE Ernest, in charge of special duties as regards agriculture (CMA); Mr. LIGANZI Constant, the Director General of the Administrative, Agricultural and Human Resources support scheme (DGAAARH); and Mr. NGOUBOU Mathieu, Director General of Studies and Follow-up Planning.  Other persons present include expert members of CPAC Mr. BRAHIM, Messrs MBOROHOUL and OUMAR OUSMAN for purposes of making clarifications.

After brief greetings and self - introductory speeches participants in the meeting proceeded to a reminder of the objective of CPAC's mission to Bangui. At the end of deliberations, the next day was chosen for the official handing-over ceremony of the equipment in the presence of the Minister.

 Arrival of the Minister and handing-over of the equipment  

 the time was 10 a.m. in the conference room of the Ministry of Agriculture in Bangui,  in addition to the authorities mentioned above, there were a handful of journalists (national radio and television,  press bodies etc.).  When the Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture, H.E. NGAOUANEDJIKA Fidèle and the Minister Delegate to the Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture in charge of Livestock breeding and Animal Health H.E. YOUSSOUFA Yérima Mandjo made their appearance in the hall the ceremony started. 

 The Minister took the floor first to open the meeting.  The local agent of CPAC of CPAC for CAR Mrs. BRAHIM then took the floor to briefly present CPAC, its missions and objectives, the CNGP. Following his presentation, Mr. Serge LIALE, official in charge of ICT at CPAC then took the floor to thank all the authorities who spared no efforts in pursuing their objectives in the various CPAC missions in Bangui. He also thanked the Ministers for their effective presence in  the handing-over of the equipment and finally he presented  the objective of the mission, described and presented the equipment to be deployed in the offices of experts.

 The honourable Minister took the floor  last to thank all the delegations, congratulate and encourage CPAC. He came back to the letter initiated by CPAC/experts relating to the equipping of their offices with a telephone line.  He then promised the issue was to be resolved within 72 hours. 

Speeches over, the equipment was handed over to the Minister followed by a group photograph, and radio and television interviews. Significant here is the fact that this rather simple and very important ceremony was broadcast on the 8 p.m. television news (telecentrafric) in French and in Sango (local language) and broadcast the whole day on national radio.

Installation of the equipment

After the handing-over of the equipment, the attendance was conveyed to the experts’ room where the computers got completely installed. With regard to the internet connection, the mission had wanted to put in place a temporary solution while waiting for the response from the minister, but a temporary solution was quickly envisaged due to shortage of internet connection devices.  In the end, the delegation went respectively to:

- SOCATEL for the internet connection by ADSL. The delegation had to choose between (1) pay the installation expenses of a phone line before a thorough installation assessment is made, and (2) get the phone line installed before the internet could be installed.Yet, SOCATEL had no modem in stock.

- ORANGE offered internet access by USB key, the solution was still under experimentation; 

- MOOV offered internet access by USB key too, but the keys had not been available for two months.

     In the end, the mission to Bangui-CAR installed all the physical equipment, trained a few persons on the use of the multifunction printer, etc. for internet connection, and took financial measures so that after installation of a telephone line in their office, they can buy a (tele) phone, pay the internet connection monthly expenses and  consumption with SOCALTEL.