She was opening the protocol signing ceremony hosted by the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) e-Africa commission, at which at least three states were set to be included in the lineup of a potential 23 southern and east African states which need to give the project their blessing.
The three are Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. South Africa has already signed the protocol.
Communications department spokesperson Richard Mantu said the signing would enable a project steering committee to be set up to fasttrack the implementation of the broadband infrastructure network which involved construction of a 9 900km submarine (EASSy) cable from Mtunzini, South Africa to Port Sudan, Sudan.
Meanwhile Matsepe Casaburri said the project was a "collective step to self-reliance" and an example of the resolution of the continent's own problems.