Strengthening Governance and Resilience of Submarine Cable Systems in the Western Africa Region


  • SOLICITATION NUMBER: 0002010801
  • INSTITUTION:  IBRD/IDA
  • ISSUE DATE AND TIME: Aug 21,2024 05:39
  • CLOSING DATE AND TIME: Sep 11,2024 23:59

The Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (WARDIP) is a regional series of projects which build consensus and momentum around the vision of achieving a Single Digital Market (SDM) in Africa. As part of Component 2 ‘Connectivity Market Development and Integration’; the program aims to develop and integrate the regional connectivity market to provide increased broadband internet access in a way that encourages private sector competition and investments. This will include the deployment of an additional submarine cable in selected countries. Participating countries such as The Gambia; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Liberia; and Sierra Leone; face significant challenges in their digital infrastructure due to reliance on the single Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable. ACE’s vulnerability to recent fiber cuts poses a threat to the region’s connectivity and economic resilience. The management of the ACE; typically overseen by Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) frameworks; and arrangements; has encountered challenges in governance; financial management and operational efficiency. Hence; there is a pressing need for enhanced capacity in managing complex infrastructure projects under PPP models. In this context; WARDIP has received grant support from the Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership to contribute to strengthening infrastructure governance and building resilience of the network in beneficiary countries. The grant is expected to have a transformative effect on the quality and resilience of submarine cable systems in at least two of the involved countries; while also refining their management models. The funding will be allocated to the creation of best practice guides and capacity-building trainings to improve the governance of the new submarine cables. Additionally; it will support market research and the development of cutting-edge tools for real-time monitoring; predictive maintenance; and rapid response to disruptions; enabling informed decision-making.

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