Zain, the mobile network operator based in Kuwait, has invested over 12US$ billion in African operators, and is looking to extend its ties with 10 more networks, according to Zain Africa CEO Chris Gabriel.

Gabriel spoke yesterday at the World Telecoms Africa 2008 held in Cape Town, where he stated that “I will not go into the juicy specifics on the deals we are looking at, but we plan to have them completed by 2011.” He later disclosed to ITWeb that he wishes to have the route from Cape Town to Cairo covered by the network, which represents a coverage from the bottom to the top of Africa, simbolizing the whole of Africa.

He also named few technologies the network is looking at, such as tower management and virtual networks, also called MVNOs, which are becoming increasingly popular.

[via ITWeb]