Google has announced plans to construct Umoja, the first-ever fibre-optic cable that will directly link Africa and Australia.
- Google plans to construct Umoja, the first fibre-optic cable linking Africa and Australia
- The cable will pass through several African countries including Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, before ending in South Africa
- Umoja is part of Google's Africa Connect initiative, including the Equiano subsea cable project, as part of a $1 billion investment in Africa
Starting in Kenya, Umoja will travel through several African countries, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, before ending in South Africa. From there, it will pass through the Google Cloud region and head to Australia via the Indian Ocean.
In partnership with Liquid Technologies, Google stated that the Umoja cable will offer a highly scalable network path with multiple access points to enhance regional connectivity.
Google stated that this infrastructure was designed to deliver reliable and expansive digital services, to address the chronic issue of network outages that have historically plagued the region.
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Speaking about the development, Kenyan President William Ruto hailed the investment as a historic achievement for Kenya, Africa, and Australia.
What Ruto said:
“This initiative is crucial in ensuring the redundancy and resilience of our region’s connectivity to the rest of the world, especially in light of recent disruptions caused by cuts to sub-sea cables.
“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,” Ruto said.
Named after the Swahili word for "unity," Umoja is part of Google's Africa Connect initiative, which also includes the Equiano subsea cable project.
Since opening its first Sub-Saharan Africa office in Nairobi in 2007, Google has collaborated with governments from various African countries on several digital initiatives.
In 2021, Google announced its commitment to investing $1 billion in Africa over five years to support various efforts, including improved connectivity and investment in startups, to accelerate Africa's digital transformation.
