Kenya, South Sudan in plan to lay fibre cable to Juba

South Sudan’s ICT minister Rebecca Joshua Okwaci and her Kenyan counterpart Dr. Fred Matiang’i have signed the memorandum of understanding today that will actualise the laying off a fibre optic cable from Eldoret to Juba that will see the two countries connected.

According to Business Daily, the project, to be funded by World Bank, is set to run concurrently with the construction of the Northern Corridor road network.

Fibre optic cable offers reliable and huge data capacity convenient for video conferencing and telemedicine.

“Kenya will be responsible for the laying of the cable from Eldoret to the border, while the government of South Sudan will lay it from the border to Juba and further to other parts of the country,” said Mr Matiang’i.

He noted that part of the project, however, will be part of the second phase of the inland nationwide network National Optic Fibre Backbone Infrastructure plan that is expected to cover 2,100 kilometres and link all of Kenya’s 47 county headquarters.

Ms Okwaci added that the project would go a long way in building South Sudan’s infrastructure and ensure that the country is not left behind in the ongoing development of the region.

“We are a landlocked country and do not even have an inch of fibre optic cable; this project will ensure that we have a better way of communicating with the rest of the world,” she said.