Westlink, a Leading Company in Intra-African Connectivity Joins the Smart Africa Alliance

KIGALI, Rwanda, 2021-Dec-22 — /EPR Network/ — The Smart Africa Alliance is now counting Westlink as its new and latest private sector platinum member. Westlink is a part of the Africa Development Solutions Group (ADS) which focuses on technology and industrial development across Africa. As a `platinum member of the Smart Africa Alliance, Westlink will also sit on the Steering Committee co-chaired by the ITU and the African Union and will also have a seat on the Board chaired by H.E. President Paul Kagame.

The organisations will work together towards achieving Intra-Africa connectivity. The purpose of the project is to connect each African country its neigbours to allow for access and affordable internet, either by Submarine, Terrestrial, or Satellite technology. The project is estimated at $565million, split into $400million of capital expenditure and $160million of operational expenditure per annum. An estimated 15,000 km of terrestrial fiber and 11,098km of submarine fiber is required.

With a vision to create a single digital market in Africa by 2030, the Smart Africa Alliance has committed as part of its flagships projects to accelerate the digitalization of the continent through Intra-Africa connectivity.

“Whilst sitting at the board meeting, Westlink will not only be a part of our core decisions but will ultimately be a tremendous asset in our blueprint project to interconnect Africa data networks and Africa in general. This is a real opportunity for the Smart Africa Alliance to benefit from Westlink’s expertise and experience for the deployment of Intra-African connectivity” emphasized Mr. Lacina Koné, CEO/Director General, Smart Africa Secretariat.

The addition of Westlink at the platinum level of the Smart Africa Alliance is a strong signal that demonstrates the company’s commitment to advancing Intra-African connectivity. ADS operates as an integrated platform specializing in project management, as well as in the provision of services and equipment, servicing African states, African and foreign multinationals on the continent. ADS provides support all along the value chain, from project-financing to the delivery of finished products – or joining at specific stages when their expertise is most relevant.

“Our aim is to create an interconnected data network between Africans for Africans, that will unlock lower costs for the growing population of internet users while using data to transform their daily lives. We believe that this strategic partnership with Smart Africa, will contribute to the realization of digital transformation of African society, private sector businesses and enhancement of African data security, while also shaping the future of the continent” says the CEO of Westlink, Djalil Assouma.

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About Smart Africa
SMART Africa is a bold and innovative commitment from African Heads of State and Government to accelerate sustainable socioeconomic development on the continent, ushering Africa into a knowledge economy through affordable access to Broadband and usage of Information and Communications Technologies. The Transform Africa Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda on 28th-31st October 2013 culminated in the adoption of the Smart Africa Manifesto document by seven (7) African Heads of States (Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Mali, Gabon, Burkina Faso) in which they committed to provide leadership in accelerating socio-economic development through ICT’s.