INFRASTRUCTURE-

The local stretch of the 2Africa subsea cable is complete: Telecom Egypt (TE) has completed the second landing of the 2Africa subsea cable in Port Said, according to a pressrelease(pdf). The national telecoms operator made the cable’s first landing in Ras Ghareb in November last year, after completing the stretch that runs from Suez to Ras Ghareb a month earlier, according to the release.

2Africa: The 45k-km cable is being laid by a consortium of global telecom companies and will be the longest in the world once complete, linking 46 locations across Africa, Europe and Asia. The project will significantly upgrade Africa’s broadband and mobile connectivity when it is finished in 2024.

FROM THE HOUSE-

Loan for high-speed rail approved: MPs approved a loan agreement from a consortium of unnamed international banks to fund the 660-km first phase of the planned high-speed rail network. Siemens Mobility, Orascom Construction and Arab Contractors are the contractors, while French construction firm NGE and its subsidiary TSO have been chosen to build half of the first phase, which will link Ain Sokhna to Marsa Matrouh. Al Masry Al Youm reports that the facility is worth some USD 2 bn.

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