Benefits for Africa
The creation of the Medusa cable, which connects African core topic cities such as Rabat, Algiers, Tunis and Alexandria with technological locations in Europe, promises to reduce the digital divide between the regions. The improved connectivity brought by the cable will enable the Maghreb countries to more effectively integrate their economies into global digital dynamics. In addition, this infrastructure is acore topic tool for Africa's digital autonomy, as it will reduce its dependence on vulnerable international networks and enable higher levels of security and trust in data exchange .
As already mentioned, fiber optic cables are a crucial tool for improving the Economics of the regions they connect, since they increase the speed and capacity of data transmission between them, reducing the cost of transactions in sectors such as digital and technology. The high-speed infrastructure that Medusa brings to North Africa will lead to a reduction in the digital divide that separates it from the other side of the Mediterranean, facilitating its access to global markets and stimulating e-commerce in the region.
The World Bank has observed that the implementation of digital infrastructure has a clear impact on economic growth in Africa, estimated at GDP growth of up to 1.5% for every 10% increase in high-speed internet penetration. This enables the creation of new digital industries, generating new jobs and developing digital skills among the population.
There is also data to support that countries connected to high-speed cables experience significant economic growth compared to those without such infrastructure. agreement to an RTI analysis of the economic impact of submarine cables in sub-Saharan Africa, increased connectivity leads to improved labor productivity and fosters greater participation in global trade. Medusa intends to expand this connectivity to the north of the continent, which is expected to generate new economic opportunities that support the integration of these countries into the global digital Economics .
High connectivity infrastructure also positively affects Education and health. High-speed internet access allows students and teachers to access online learning resources and academic data instructions from around the world. This is of great importance in rural areas or lower income communities where resources for Education are limited. The African Digital development Foundation highlighted that access to online learning platforms can eliminate Education gaps between urban and rural areas, thus improving equality of educational opportunities. With Medusa's financial aid , North African countries will be better prepared to adopt and expand technology-based education models, enabling quality Education to reach more people issue
Fiber optics also has applications in the medical sector, in areas such as telehealth, telemedicine and medical data storage. The high-speed connectivity financial aid to the transmission of medical data and the implementation of telemedicine services, with online diagnoses and consultations, which financial aid mainly in rural areas or areas with little access to specialized medical services. As Phonoscope Fiber indicates, fiber optics is a resource core topic when it comes to facilitating remote medical care and the secure exchange of clinical data , which improves both the quality of care and the speed of diagnosis. The Medusa cable's ability to provide robust connectivity will enable health systems across the continent to adopt these technologies, which will improve access to healthcare in remote areas and strengthen public health emergency response capabilities.
The increased connectivity that will accompany the Medusa cable should also empower North Africa to become a more attractive region for foreign investment. A strong digital infrastructure has proven to be a core topic for attracting international investors seeking stable, high-tech conditions to develop operations in emerging markets. agreement to the International Monetary Fund, investment in digital infrastructure fosters the growth of related sectors such as data centers, financial technology and cloud services, which depend on fast and stable connections. Connecting to a fiber optic cable such as Medusa facilitates the growth of these sectors by enabling efficient and secure data transmission, an essential factor for technology companies.
In a speech at Chatham House in June 2024, Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African development Bank, stressed that Africa has the capacity to development in areas of technology as long as the necessary infrastructure is in place to attract long-term investment in core topic industries. He also stressed that digital connectivity and the creation of submarine cables will enable Africa to participate more actively in the global digital Economics , which is widely needed in order to diversify its sources of income and strengthen its economies.
AFR-IX Telecom, the Barcelona-based telecom operator leading the project, also highlights that the presence of a high-speed connection through submarine cables has an effect on the confidence given to foreign investors, as it reduces the dependence of African countries on more vulnerable international connections, and strengthens the continent's digital resilience. Thanks to Medusa, Africa has the opportunity to establish itself as a player in the telecommunications market, attracting more foreign capital to develop infrastructure such as data centers and local servers, and boosting job creation and technological skills in the region.
Impact on Africa-Europe relations
The Medusa cable also aims to play a key mission statement as a catalyst in Africa-Europe relations, particularly in terms of digital infrastructure projects that foster partnership between the two continents. This cable is part of a broader effort by the European Union to strengthen digital links with its neighboring continent, reflected in strategies such as the Africa-European Unionassociation program on digital Economics , which aims to implement connectivity across the continent and foster partnership in specific areas such as cybersecurity, digital literacy and the development of digital services across borders. The Medusa project is led by AFR-IX Telecom, a Barcelona-based telecommunications operator that facilitates the creation of a telecommunications network between Africa and Europe.
The cable links 11 countries around the entire Mediterranean, from Portugal and Spain to Egypt. This configuration allows unprecedented connectivity, avoiding the constraints created by oceans and reliance on other longer and more costly transatlantic routes. Because the cable acts as a direct channel, it shortens physical and virtual distances, allowing both European and African companies to collaborate more effectively in sectors such as technological innovation, digital trade and financial services.
The economic interdependence created by Medusa provides benefits for both continents. The EU has seen Africa as a strategic partner with a focus on strengthening digital infrastructure in its effort to diversify trade relations and reduce dependence on other markets further afield. The Medusa cable is considered a core topic element of this strategy, as it enables the integration of cross-border digital services that will benefit both large and smaller companies seeking access to European markets.
Although it is true that Internet access has grown on the African continent in recent years, there is still a significant difference compared to Europe. agreement to data published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), while in Europe internet access exceeds 90%, in North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa less than 60% of the population has access to this resource The Medusa cable's ability to increase high-speed connectivity will be a core topic in bridging this gap, which will facilitate access to digital resources for a larger proportion of the African population. Internet access is essential, not only to improve the quality of life and facilitate communication, but also to help the inclusion of marginalized communities in the digital Economics , which will reduce socioeconomic disparities between the two continents.
Medusa is also born with the desire to help strengthen a united Mediterranean, with deeper and more sustainable cooperation. The Mediterranean has always been an important meeting point for both continents, and digital connectivity can help reach the zenith of relations between these countries and reinforce stability and shared economic development . Digital integration drives a vision of the future in which Europe and Africa work together to address common challenges such as climate change, security and migration. A connected Mediterranean represents an opportunity to foster an environment of peace and cooperation in an area with a complex history of tensions and conflicts.
Geopolitics of submarine cables
The Medusa cable plays a strategic role in the context of digital and geopolitical infrastructure, which also includes China's new Silk Road initiative and its digital section , known as the Digital Silk Road, which includes a network of telecommunications infrastructures and submarine cables. In Africa, China has been an extremely important player in digital and physical infrastructure, building critical Structures that have strengthened its influence in the region. However, in recent years China's approach in the region has shown a shift towards a more commercial investment model .
In its skill with China as a major player in Africa, the European Union is strengthened by an initiative such as Medusa, which represents both a physical infrastructure and a strategic tool . Through projects like this, the EU wants to position itself as a technological ally for the north of the continent, while becoming an alternative to the search for Chinese investment, which dominates the digital infrastructure in the region. With the support of the European Investment Bank, the cable has become a channel that provides security, as opposed to the view that Chinese cables can compromise the security and control of data. The cable is thus a diplomatic weapon that strengthens the European Union's relations with Africa and reduces dependence on Chinese Structures on the continent.
The skill between the two powers is also being developed in what is known as the 'geopolitics of submarine cables'. In recent years, the powers have discovered that telecommunications cables are critical assets for the security of countries, due to the enormous data flows that are transmitted through them. China has encouraged the creation of cables such as PEACE (Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe), which connects the three continents and establishes routes under Chinese control. This has been of great concern to Europe and the US, which consider them a risk of Chinese surveillance and interference. Thus, digital infrastructure has taken on an important role in international geopolitical strategy, with countries investing in their own cables to safeguard their sovereignty in subject data and communications.
In addition, controlling a global telecommunications network can be a significant advantage for trade and digital Economics . Thus, the EU and other international players are looking for alternatives to reduce their dependence on foreign Structures such as China. These cables also enable a more equitable distribution of internet access and improve the resilience of the global network . With the implementation of Medusa, the EU wants to have a reliable connectivity network in the Mediterranean that will allow it to distance itself from Chinese networks in terms of access to strategic information and data .
Thus, Medusa is not only an infrastructure project , but also a core topic in this supposed cable war, as it limits the scope of possible conflicts in cybersecurity or strategic dependence. The EU is trying to reinforce its role as an independent and secure partner for African and Mediterranean countries, consolidating a cooperation network that projects an image of stability in the face of Chinese expansion.
