(Ecofin Agency) - Works for optical fiber interconnection between Congo and Gabon are completed. This was disclosed to the press last November 30, by the national coordinator of the Central African Backbone (CAB) project, Yves-Didier Miehakanda. He also indicated that the infrastructure, which “is key to the nation, will be commissioned at the end of December in the presence of the respective ministers of digital economy of both nations”.
The project, it should be recalled, involved the deployment of about 520 km of optical fiber from Pointe-Noire to the Gabonese border, via Dolisie and Mbinda. It started in Q1 2015.
Overall cost of works is valued at CFA15 billion. According to M. Miehakanda, “this investment will pay off in two to three years”.
Optical fiber interconnection from Congo to Gabon falls under the second stage of the CAB. It will in fact go on in 2018 with interconnection from Congo to Cameroon and the Central African Republic. Also planned is the construction of a Data Center in Brazzaville.
For the third stage, Miehakanda revealed that it will help boost the share of digital economy in Congo’s gross domestic product.