Google builds first undersea fiber optic cable linking Africa, Australia

Alphabet’s Google is constructing the first undersea fiber optic cable to directly connect Africa with Australia, aiming to enhance internet access in one of the world’s least-connected regions.

The new cable, named Umoja, will start in Kenya and traverse several African countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, before crossing the Indian Ocean to Australia.

This was announced by Google in a blog post on May 23.

This initiative follows Google’s Equiano cable, which links Africa with Europe, and addresses the continent’s internet connectivity challenges, exacerbated by damaged cables and limited rerouting options due to sparse terrestrial infrastructure.

The development coincides with US President Joe Biden and Kenyan President William Ruto’s meeting in Washington to strengthen US-Africa ties.

Africa is increasingly becoming a battleground for global technological and connectivity influence.

In parallel, Microsoft has announced plans to build a US$1 billion geothermal-powered data center in Kenya, significantly boosting cloud-computing capacity in East Africa.

“Access to the latest technology, supported by reliable and resilient digital infrastructure, is critical to growing economic opportunity,” stated Meg Whitman, US ambassador to Kenya and former eBay CEO.

“This is a meaningful moment for Kenya’s digital transformation journey.”