MAURITANIA COVID-19 RESILIENCE SUBMARINE CABLE

The project concerns the deployment of a second international connection for Mauritania, which will consist of a new submarine cable, including the wet plant, terrestrial segment and cable landing station. This new connection will provide a backup solution to the current single submarine cable connecting the country, as well as additional data transmission capacity to address rapidly growing traffic volume due to the expected increase in internet access demand in the country.

The project will aim to deliver more international bandwidth and capacity for Mauritania and to strengthen diversity and resiliency within the country's telecommunications infrastructure. This alternative submarine fibre optic cable will ensure that the risk that the international connection of the Mauritanian economy is disrupted is reduced. As economies increasingly rely on connectivity to operate, redundancy has become a major concern. The cable could also provide resilient international data connectivity and additional capacity to landlocked countries neighbouring Mauritania.

If located in the European Union, the project would not require an Environmental Impact Assessment. Submarine and terrestrial cable projects have limited, localised and short term environmental effects, which could be mitigated with the application of industry best practices integrated in the project design and implementation plans. The EIB will require the project's compliance with the relevant national environmental legislation. The project is expected to have a positive social impact with better communications enhancing business, tourism, education and employment opportunities.

The Promoter has to ensure that implementation of the project will be done in accordance with the EIB's Guide to Procurement.

The operation will also contribute towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 (ending poverty in all its forms everywhere) and SDG 8 (promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all). As information and communication technologies are tools through which gender equality and women's empowerment can be advanced, and are integral to the creation of societies in which both women and men can substantively contribute and participate, SDG 5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) is also pursued by the operation.