14 February 2022

The Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic (CAR) are being connected by a 285km sub-river fibre, courtesy of Huawei and China Communications Services International (CCSI).

Part of a project plan to make the former a hub for information and communications technology in the region, the two Chinese companies started work on the project in January in Brazzaville, the capital of Congo. The city lies on the Congo River and has a direct river connection to Bangui, the capital of the CAR.

“We have come to launch the construction works of the fibre optic network between Congo and CAR, knowing that a large part of the border between the two countries is under water,” said Léon Juste Ibombo, Congo’s minister of posts, telecommunications and the digital economy.

Huawei and CCSI are using a cable-laying barge to run the fibre along the Congo River and the connecting Ubangi River.

Ibombo said at the ceremony: “This barge contains the necessary equipment to be able to carry out the fibre optic interconnection work between our two states.”

Michel Ngakala, the project coordinator for the central African backbone, told media the work will consist of laying 285km of steel-reinforced fibre on the riverbed.

The interconnection of Congo to the CAR is part of phase two of the backbone project, which aims to interconnect the countries of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) with fibre. It is understood work will be completed before the end of the year.

Congo already has a link with Gabon and Cameroon.