Cairo – Mubasher: Meta and Telecom Egypt announced the first landing of the 2Africa subsea cable in Egypt at Ras Ghareb in the Red Sea, as part of the 2Africa consortium.

The Ras Ghareb landing is one of several taking place in the coming months as the cable will be extended to a total of 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and Asia by the completion of the project in 2024, according to a recent press release.

Unveiled in in May 2020, the 2Africa subsea cable system together with its Pearls extension are designed to deliver seamless international connectivity to about three billion people, representing 36% of the global population and connecting three continents: Africa, Europe, and Asia.

At 45,000km, it will be the longest subsea cable ever deployed, serving communities that rely on the internet for services from education to healthcare and business, with all experiencing the economic and social benefits that come from this increased connectivity.

Adel Hamed, Telecom Egypt’s Managing Director and CEO, commented: “We recently celebrated the landing of our Red2Med cable system in Ras Ghareb, and today we are excited to announce the first landing of 2Africa in the same location. The second landing in Egypt will be in Port Said in a few months.”

Fares Akkad, Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa, Meta, said: “Investing in submarine cables brings more people online to a faster internet, and 2Africa is a perfect example of our innovative partnership model where everyone benefits through the development of technology infrastructure to lead the industry in routes, capacity, and flexibility.”

The 2Africa consortium is comprised of China Mobile International, Meta, MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, STC, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone, and WIOCC.

Subsea cables often translate into economic growth for the surrounding population. For example, RTI estimates that 2Africa will generate a $26.20 to $36.40 billion impact (at purchasing power parities) on Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) within 2 to 3 years of becoming operational.