The Medusa Submarine Cable System and Moroccan telecom provider Inwi have united in a strategic joint effort to amplify trans-Mediterranean connectivity. This partnership is set to result in the deployment of an underwater cable system meant to offer a direct link from Morocco to Southern Europe, specifically, from Nador to Marseille. This step forward represents a substantial leap in the growth of regional digital infrastructure.
The main objective of the partnership between Inwi and Medusa is the establishment and upkeep of dedicated optical-fiber connections within a new undersea cable. Standing at an impressive span of 7,100 kilometers, this venture could potentially be the most significant undertaking of its kind in the Mediterranean. Given its strategic position bridging the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and Red Sea, the Medusa cable system is poised to offer a crucial avenue for connection between Asia and the Atlantic. Thanks to this new structure, Inwi’s customers will enjoy access to a host of secure connectivity options, which are expected to sustain the continuous growth of fixed and internet traffic.
The capital that Inwi has injected into this project is indicative of its dedication to supply its user base with advanced, secure optical-fiber solutions while propelling the expansion of Morocco’s digital economy.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has been a significant contributor to the Medusa project, pledging a loan amount of €50 million (around MAD 558 million) in December 2022. The European Commission also substantiated the project’s relevance to the European and Mediterranean digital strategy by awarding a €40 million grant (approximately MAD 446 million) to aid its funding.
Nine countries in the Mediterranean region would stand to gain from the construction of the Medusa undersea cable, including four countries in North Africa and five in Europe (France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Cyprus) and Algeria. With 12 landing points – two of which are in Morocco – the cable would promise to provide high-speed, secured connectivity, greatly enhancing the countries’ research and educational sectors.
