Despite rapid growth, digital inclusion remains uneven across Africa and other developing regions. By investing in strategic infrastructure such as high-speed backbones and submarine cables, the partnership will help expand internet access to remote and underserved communities.

Orange, AFD Group (France’s public development bank), and Proparco have signed a three-year agreement aimed at accelerating digital inclusion and promoting sustainable digital development across 20 countries, Orange announced on June 12 in a release.

The agreement establishes a structured framework for cooperation among the three organizations, facilitating the joint design and implementation of digital infrastructure and innovation projects. It will cover 17 countries across Africa and the Middle East where Orange operates, as well as Moldova and French overseas departments.

“This strategic partnership with AFD Group marks an important milestone in our collaboration,” said Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange. “It reinforces our commitment to expanding access to digital technology everywhere we operate.”

The agreement will focus on several core areas. These include the deployment of strategic digital infrastructure such as high-speed network backbones and submarine cables to expand access to connectivity. It also aims to promote financial and energy inclusion while improving access to e-services in agriculture, health, and education, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Environmental sustainability is a central component, with commitments to reducing the digital sector’s ecological footprint. Additionally, the partnership seeks to enhance digital training and professional integration for young people through the use of accessible tools, while also supporting local innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems. The three partners plan to engage in forward-looking dialogue on ethical data use, digital security, and the development of responsible artificial intelligence solutions.

Rémy Rioux, CEO of AFD Group, emphasized the partnership’s broader impact, saying, “This first strategic partnership with Orange exemplifies our shared ambition to support sovereign digital services at a local level by investing in solutions that are innovative, open, and responsible.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), as of 2023, only 37% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa had access to the Internet, compared to over 91% in Europe. Rural areas, in particular, lag far behind due to poor infrastructure, high connectivity costs, and limited digital literacy. By addressing these infrastructure gaps through projects like high-speed network backbones and submarine cables, the Orange–AFD–Proparco partnership directly tackles these structural barriers.

This renewed collaboration reflects the shared vision of Orange, AFD Group, and Proparco to use digital innovation as a powerful tool to drive equality, resilience, and inclusive growth in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Hikmatu Bilali