Algeria strengthens its digital sovereignty by developing the international communications network

In Algiers, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Sayed Ali Zerrougui, affirmed his sector’s commitment to strengthening national digital sovereignty through the development of reliable and secure high-speed maritime links.

In a public session in the National People’s Assembly devoted to asking oral questions to a number of government members, Zerrougui pointed out his sector’s commitment to modernizing the international communications infrastructure and increasing bandwidth, in addition to strengthening national digital sovereignty by developing high-speed, reliable and secure maritime links, while ensuring that this is accompanied by a plan for supervision, maintenance and prevention to ensure continuity of service.

The Minister stated that Algeria is connected to the global Internet via four submarine cable systems, namely “SeaMe Wi 4,” “Madax,” “Orval/Oran-Valencia,” and “Fal/Algiers-Valencia,” in addition to another cable, “Algiers/Palma.”

He pointed out that in response to the increasing demand for high-flow Internet, as well as the heavy reliance on digital services, as well as the launch of fifth generation services, the sector worked to enhance the capabilities of the international frequency band by developing the capacity of the cables that our country possesses and improving their exploitation.

As a result, the sector was able to achieve a gradual and sustainable increase in the capacity of the international frequency band, so that the equipped capacity moved from 1.5 terabits per second at the beginning of 2020 to more than 10.2 terabits per second currently, that is, nearly seven times more in five years.

With the aim of strengthening the international communications infrastructure, the Minister confirmed that, in implementation of the directives of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, related to diversifying sources of Internet supply, his sector will, within its work plan, diversify Algeria’s international links by joining other connectivity initiatives. It will also continue projects to raise the capabilities of current links to meet Internet services proactively and secure them in all circumstances.

As part of the major strategic process undertaken in this regard, the implementation of the “Medusa” cable system project, which is expected to enter into service in early 2028, will be completed, in addition to the expansion of the “MADEX” submarine cable, the work of which will last until next June.