Inwi Partners with Cable Firm Medusa to Boost Trans-Mediterranean Connectivity
By Jihane Rahhou, Morocco World News
January 29, 2024
The underwater cable system will connect Morocco to Southern Europe, linking Nador to Marseille.
Rabat – Inwi, a Morocco-based telecommunication operator, announced on Monday a partnership with Medusa Submarine Cable System to bolster its trans-Mediterranean connectivity.
According to a statement by Inwi, the agreement involves the provision and operation of dedicated optical-fiber links in the new submarine cable, which is the longest in the Mediterranean.
“Medusa connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, creating a new link from Asia to the Atlantic,” Iwni said, adding that the venture would “enable the regional development of the information society and its stakeholders.”
The infrastructure will connect Morocco to Southern Europe, linking Nador to Marseille.
The submarine cable will further facilitate the continuous growth of fixed and internet traffic, providing diverse and secure connectivity paths for Inwi’s customers, the statement explains.
Inwi also added that this partnership with Medusa demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the global telecom operator to provide innovative and secure solutions to best meet the needs of its customers while contributing to the development of the Moroccan digital ecosystem.
In December 2022, Medusa received a €50 million (MAD 558 million) loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to finance its optical-fiber cable project.
The bank also signed an agreement with the European Commission a month earlier for a €40 million (MAD 446 million) grant towards the project.
The Medusa cable will benefit nine Mediterranean countries including Morocco. These include five European countries; France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Cyprus, as well as four North African countries; Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt.
The high-capacity optical-fiber cable will be 7,100 kilometers long and have 12 landing points, including two in Morocco. The secure high-speed connections the project will facilitate are especially intended to benefit research and education communities in the targeted countries.
