The cable aligns with the government's strategy to develop the digital sector and extend competitive telecom services in remote areas.

Last Wednesday, in Luanda, China and Angola signed an about US$249 million concessional loan agreement for a national broadband project.

According to  Pascoal Borges Alé Fernandes (Angola's Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Information Technology), the project will dynamize and extend  Angola's network infrastructure. 

"We are talking about the implementation of around 2,000 kilometers of terrestrial fiber optics that will make it possible to reach areas not yet reached by telecommunications services (…). And we also have a microwave segment that will make it possible to boost communications in Cabinda," he said.

A few years ago, Angola launched a large digital infrastructure construction project to meet the country's huge demand for digital services. With the new broadband project, the government wants to encourage tech innovation and boost productivity in the public and private sectors.

The project will help provide broadband connection in remote areas, reduce access costs and boost the country's digital economy. For China's ambassador to Angola, Gong Tao (photo, left), the agreement signed opens "new doors and new chapters" in the relations between Luanda and Pekin.

Samira Njoya