A partnership aiming to build a long-haul and metro fibre network in the DRC has been announced.

Pan-African technology group Liquid Technologies and Facebook are collaborating to improve internet access for more than 30 million people in Africa.

The former will own, build and operate the fibre network, which will stretch from central DRC to the eastern border with Rwanda, and extend the reach of the 2Africa subsea cable, which – when complete – will span 37 000 km and have landings on both the west and east coasts of Africa, better linking the continent to Europe and the Middle East. Facebook will provide investment support and network planning.

More than 5 000 people from local communities are expected to be employed during the construction process.

The new network will help complete a digital corridor from the Atlantic Ocean through the Congo Basin rainforest, connecting the DRC to neighbouring countries including Angola, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

13 July 2021
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