This archive report was first published on 8 August 2020.
Published on August 8, 2020, a submarine fibre optic cable project connecting Africa to Asia and Europe has roped in Kenya. The project, led by Chinese firms, aims to link the continent with Asia and Europe through a 511km cable network.
The Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (Peace) cable network connects Kenya to Pakistan, Djibouti, and Europe through an entry point in Nyali, Mombasa. The marine component of the project entails the installation of a submarine cable for a distance of 498.973km, with the total cable length being 511.7km.
The Peace undersea fibre cable is a 12,000km cable system developed through a trilateral agreement between PCCW Global, Orange, and the consortium Peace Cable International. This consortium includes Chinese networks firm Huawei Marine, China-ASEAN Information Habour, China Construction Bank, and Tropic Science.
According to PCCW Global, the increased global demand for connectivity has resulted in the connection of the busy route. Africa has the fastest-growing youth population in the world, making it a market ripe for investment due to the rapidly growing number of internet users and increased demand for connectivity.
The new fibre cable is expected to provide the shortest data route from North Asia to Europe, combined with exceptionally low latency, which is vital for commercial and consumer applications.
