MSI Cellular wins award for foreign investment

MSI Cellular (MSI), Africa's leading telecoms company, with Celtel branded GSM operations throughout the continent, has won the inaugural SMO award for Foreign Direct Investment. The award, presented by the SMO Foundation for Business and Society, the Dutch industrial association, was judged by a panel of experts from the Dutch Government, Development Agencies and the private sector, including ABN AMRO and KPMG.

MSI Cellular has successfully invested over €450 million over the past five years in Africa to build quality communications networks. The Company currently operates in thirteen countries on the continent and already serves over 1.5 million mobile customers, a number that has been growing at a rate of 75% per annum.

Accepting the award at an event in Amsterdam, Marten Pieters, CEO of MSI Cellular, said: "It is very gratifying for MSI to be to be recognised the best Dutch foreign investment company for 2003. MSI operates in very complex business environments and has successfully met the SMO foundation requirements of working for "profit, people and planet".

"This award is a tribute to MSI's 5,000 employees, 99% of whom work in Africa. It is also a reflection of the high standards of corporate governance and healthy work ethic that we maintain."

For more details, please contact: Martin de Koning, Celtel Corporate Communications Director, +31 23 554 2671 or +31 6558 22409, deKoning.M@celtel.com