Bridging oceans: Google’s Umoja Cable links Africa to Australia

Google has unveiled new investments aimed at enhancing digital infrastructure and bolstering security measures to promote increased digital connectivity, spur economic growth, and fortify resilience throughout Africa

Umoja: Bridging Africa and Australia

Google introduces Umoja, a pioneering fiber optic pathway, marking the first direct connection between Africa and Australia. Originating in Kenya, this cable will traverse through Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, integrating with the Google Cloud region, before spanning the Indian Ocean to reach Australia. Developed in partnership with Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Umoja is designed as a scalable network with multiple access points, enabling broader utilisation across the continent.

Named after the Swahili term for unity, Umoja is part of the Africa Connect initiative, complementing Equiano. This venture aims to bolster interconnectivity within Africa and with the global community. The establishment of a novel route, distinct from existing networks, is pivotal for ensuring network resilience in a region prone to significant outages.

The collaboration with African and Australian leaders has been instrumental in realising the Africa Connect project, which promises to benefit individuals, enterprises, and governments both in Africa and globally.

Meg Whitman, U.S. ambassador to Kenya, “Access to the latest technology, supported by reliable and resilient digital infrastructure, is critical to growing economic opportunity. This is a meaningful moment for Kenya’s digital transformation journey and the benefits of today’s announcement will cascade across the region.”

William S Ruto, president of the Republic of Kenya, added, “I am delighted to welcome Google’s investment in digital connectivity, marking a historic milestone for Kenya, Africa, and Australia. The new intercontinental fiber optic route will significantly enhance our global and regional digital infrastructure. This initiative is crucial in ensuring the redundancy and resilience of our region’s connectivity to the rest of the world, especially in light of recent disruptions caused by cuts to sub-sea cables. By strengthening our digital backbone, we are not only improving reliability but also paving the way for increased digital inclusion, innovation, and economic opportunities for our people and businesses.”

Michelle Rowland MP, Australian minister for communications, remarked, “Diversifying Australia’s connectivity and supporting digital inclusion across the globe are both incredibly important objectives, and Google’s Umoja cable will help to do just that. Australia welcomes Google’s investment and congratulates all those involved in undertaking this crucial initiative.”

Strive Masiyiwa, chairman and founder of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, commented, “Africa’s major cities including Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, and Harare will no longer be hard-to-reach endpoints remote from the coastal landing sites that connect Africa to the world. They are now stations on a data superhighway that can carry thousands of times more traffic than currently reaches here. I am proud that this project helps us deliver a digitally connected future that leaves no African behind, regardless of how far they are from the technology centers of the world.”