Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA is set to strengthen fiber optic cable connection linking Rwanda after securing 10bn/- from the government with the aim of improving business relationship and access to ICT connectivity to the land-linked neighbouring country.
According to the Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Dr Faustine Ndugulile, the two countries are also looking towards establishing more steps of knowledge exchange and learning, with the focus of revolutionising ICT sector with focus on the youth for increased innovation and economic activities.
“We are now starting a new chapter of cementing relationships and communication with our brothers in Rwanda, with the focus of growing together and taking the ICT sector forward,” he said.
Rwanda is served by Tanzania in data services through TTCL Corporation which manages and runs the national ICT fibre optic cable joining Kigali with the submarine cable at the Dar es Salaam coast, but it has also made notable stride in the sector,” the minister said. He was speaking during a tour of the Rwandan Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire, who visited TTCL Corporation, headquarters in Dar es Salaam with the aim of learning how broadband is being managed and maintained.
Earlier, TTCL Cooperation’s Managing Director, Mr Waziri Kindamba informed the minister and the delegation that the public owned communication entity was planning to strengthen the backbone system connection with Rwanda by adding more channels as a way of assuring them internet connectivity.
“After securing 10bn/- from the government, we are planning that more fibre optic cable connection to Rwanda will be added within the next 12 months with the focus of assuring that internet services go uninterrupted in case of breaking of one of the cables due to geographical challenges and other hindrance factors,” Mr, Kindamba said that two more cables would be added, the one going through Geita region and another through Bukoba district in Kagera region that will be complimenting the current three connections going from Shinyanga region through Biharamulo and Ngara districts which connect its service at Rusumo border.
On her part, Ms Ingabire said that her tour of the country was crucial as it looked towards consolidating bilateral relationship in the areas of ICT and innovation as youths from both countries are on the frontline of championing digital for development.
“Pushing forward the digital agenda of our countries is the main aspect of today’s tour, where we look forward to get through bilateral relationship and policy engagement, not only between the two governments, but also involving the private sector which is the driver of the economy,” she said She added that the view was to prioritise the young people who champion ICTs transformation and leverage ICTs in health, agriculture, education systems for improved results towards attaining common goals of development.
