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The Gambia has secured US$35mn funding for a second submarine cable between Cape Verde and the Gambia, stated the minister for Communication and Digital Economy, Ousman A. Bah. This is part of the World Bank-funded WADI project and transactional advice is currently been recruited to guide the entire process.
The Gambia has secured US$35mn funding for a second submarine cable between Cape Verde and the Gambia, stated the minister for Communication and Digital Economy, Ousman A. Bah. This is part of the World Bank-funded WADI project and transactional advice is currently been recruited to guide the entire process.
The country is hopeful to have its own submarine cable by 2025. The Gambia is part of the participating countries of the ECOWAS American Cabral Submarine Cable Initiative. The Gambia serves as a Vice Chair to the ministerial committee and is hosting the meeting of the experts from the 18th to 20th of September 2023.
The minister clarified that this investment for the second submarine cable could not be allocated in their budget as a Ministry; because it was given about D90 million for the entire ministry which hardly sustains the operations. So, the Government was forced to look for a vendor or a provider who was willing to give the submarine cable on a BOT as it is the most efficient way to get a second submarine cable.
WADI has given about US$50 million to the Ministry of Digital Economy for the next five years. Because of the size of the funding, the country partnered with Guinea Conakry to make it cheaper. So now the submarine cable will be coming from Cape Verde to The Gambia directly.
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The ministry anticipates by the end of September of this year, Starling will have the full licensing to operate in The Gambia. This means Gambia cannot just rely on the ACE to complement the internet access; rather through satellite and every Gambian or non-Gambian can buy the satellite without having to dig any cable.
