Google is making a new fiber optic cable. It will be the first one connecting Africa and Australia.

Google is becoming more important in Africa. They are making a new undersea cable that will connect Africa to Australia. It’s called the “Umoja cable route.” The cable will start in Kenya, go through Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, and then cross the Indian Ocean to reach Australia.

Google worked with Liquid Intelligent Technologies to find the best way to connect the countries. They made sure other countries could join the network too. This will help countries in Africa connect better with each other and with the rest of the world.

Strive Masiyiwa, who is the Chairman and founder of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, said this cable will make it easier for big cities in Africa like Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, and Harare to connect with other places. It will be like a superhighway for data, allowing much more information to flow between countries.

The land part of the project is done. Now comes the difficult part: getting the cable across the Indian Ocean to Perth, Australia. This is a tough job, so we don’t know when it will be finished yet.

Google wants to work with the government of Kenya on things like cybersecurity, using data to create new ideas, teaching digital skills, and using AI to help society. For example, the Department of Immigration & Citizen Services is thinking about using Google Cloud’s CyberShield solution for its eCitizen platform.

Google has been doing more in Africa since 2007 when it opened its first office in Nairobi. It’s been working with governments in different African countries on digital projects. In 2021, Google said it would put $1 billion into Africa over five years. They’ve already spent more than $900 million in the region and plan to finish spending the rest by 2026.

Google is also spending a lot on other projects, like Equiano. This is a new private cable that will connect Portugal and South Africa. It starts in Western Europe, goes along the West Coast of Africa, and reaches from Portugal to South Africa. They’re also adding connections to more African countries with branching units. Equiano is Google’s third private international cable and its 14th investment in undersea cables.