NAIROBI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) — The eastern segment of China Mobile’s 2Africa submarine cable was officially activated on Friday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, with an aim to power digital transformation across the African continent.
Senior government officials, diplomats, industry executives, and innovators attended the event, which marked a significant milestone in China-Africa cooperation on digital and smart technologies.
William Kabogo Gitau, cabinet secretary of Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, said that the partnership with Chinese firms has been pivotal in advancing the growth of Africa’s digital economy.
“This infrastructure will deliver unprecedented capacity, making it one of the most significant connectivity investments ever undertaken on the continent,” said the cabinet secretary.
“For Kenya, this project complements our own investments under the digital superhighway and creative economy pillar of the bottom-up economic transformation agenda,” he added.
He noted that the 2Africa cable will enhance access to affordable internet, besides strengthening the resilience of digital infrastructure in East Africa, hastening cross-border connectivity and integration.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan said that as a true partner, China fully supports Kenya and other African countries in exploring their own paths to development and in advancing global progress through cooperation in science and technology.
Guo said that under the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, digital collaboration has become a new highlight of our practical cooperation.
“Many Chinese companies have actively participated in building and upgrading Africa’s backbone networks, 5G systems, and data centers,” she added.
Li Huidi, vice president of China Mobile Communication Group, said the 2Africa submarine cable is a continuation of the enduring legacy of the ancient Silk Road, opening new frontiers in China-Africa digital cooperation.
