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In a new bid to increase reach and reliability of digital connectivity in Africa, Google has announced a new fibre optic cable connecting the continent to Australia.

The cable dubbed Umoja will pass through Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, including the Google Cloud Region before crossing the Indian Ocean to Australia.

Umoja’s terrestrial path was built in collaboration with Liquid Technologies to form a highly scalable route through Africa, including access points that will allow other countries to take advantage of the network. The development is hoped to accelerate economic growth and deepen resilience across the continent. 

Digital infrastructure

 President William Ruto welcomed the development as one that will significantly enhance the global and regional digital infrastructure.  He said the move will ensure redundancy and resilience of Africa’s connectivity to the rest of the world, especially in light of recent disruptions caused by cuts to sub-sea cables.

 “I am delighted to welcome Google’s investment in digital connectivity, marking a historic milestone for Kenya, Africa, and Australia. The new intercontinental fiber optic route will significantly enhance our global and regional digital infrastructure,” said the Head of State.  “By strengthening our digital backbone, we are not only improving reliability but also paving the way for increased digital inclusion, innovation, and economic opportunities for our people and businesses,” he added.

Establishing a new route distinct from existing connectivity routes, he said, is critical to maintaining a resilient network for a region that has historically experienced high-impact outages.  According to Meg Whitman, the US Ambassador to Kenya, access to the latest technology, supported by reliable and resilient digital infrastructure will spur economic opportunities.

 “We are grateful for the partnership from leaders across Africa and Australia to deliver Africa Connect to people, businesses, and governments in Africa and around the world. This is a meaningful moment for Kenya’s digital transformation journey and the benefits of today’s announcement will cascade across the region,” she said.