Orange Tunisie has officially landed the Medusa submarine cable in Bizerte, marking a pivotal step in enhancing Tunisia’s digital connectivity and integration into the global digital economy.
With this launch, Tunisia becomes the first African nation to host the Medusa cable, a strategic infrastructure project backed by the European Union and the European Investment Bank under the Global Gateway initiative, which connects 13 countries across North Africa, Southern Europe, and the Middle East.
Stretching over 8,000 km, Medusa is the largest submarine fiber-optic network in the Mediterranean. It connects Tunisia directly to Marseille, where the cable landed on 8 October, before continuing to other Mediterranean destinations. The Tunisian section spans 1,040 km and will give Orange Tunisie a maximum capacity of 24 Tbps. Additionally, the company will own and manage the Bizerte landing station and all related infrastructure.
Orange Tunisie CEO, Stéphane Varret, said:
We are particularly proud to welcome Medusa, a strategic infrastructure that consolidates Tunisia’s position as a digital hub in the Mediterranean. This project, carried out alongside the Medusa Submarine Cable System and supported by the European Union, illustrates our commitment to sustainably connecting territories and accelerating the country’s digital transformation.
Giuseppe Perrone, ambassador of the European Union, added:
Through the Global Gateway initiative, the European Union supports the creation of concrete digital bridges between our continents. Medusa symbolizes this modern Euro-African partnership, based on connectivity, innovation, and the shared values of sustainable development.
Norman Albi, CEO of the Medusa Submarine Cable System, stated:
The landing of the Medusa submarine cable in Bizerte embodies a shared vision: that of a more connected, open, and competitive Mediterranean. Thanks to close collaboration with our partner, Orange Tunisia, we are bringing Africa and Europe closer together by deploying infrastructure essential to the region’s economic development and technological progress for the next 25 years.
According to Orange Tunisie, this achievement aligns with the company’s broader vision: investing in cutting-edge infrastructure to foster digital transformation, digital sovereignty, and economic competitiveness.
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