Ethio Telecom, Djibouti Telecom, and Sudatel Group have signed a strategic agreement that will see the telcos build a cross-border fiber network to connect submarine cable landing stations across Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Sudan.

The agreement has been signed under the Horizon Fiber Initiative and aims to create a resilient terrestrial fiber corridor connecting the international submarine cable landing stations in Djibouti, via Ethiopia, and extending to Sudan’s landing stations.

This initiative is designed to "significantly enhance international bandwidth capacity, strengthen network resilience and redundancy, and support the rapidly growing demand for data, cloud services, hyperscale connectivity, digital platforms, and cross-border data flows across the region."

The agreement was signed last week during an event in Djibouti, and was attended by the three carriers' CEOs.

It builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the trio in Ethiopia in December 2024, which recognized the strategic importance of establishing a secure alternative international route.

The three telcos will work together to provide multi-terabit optical fiber capacity, carrier-grade, low-latency international connectivity for cloud and hyperscale services, plus diversified and secure cross-border routes that enhance regional resilience, and improved service reliability for operators, enterprises, content providers, and hyperscalers.

"The Horizon Fiber initiative lays the foundation for a future-ready digital backbone that connects countries, supports economic growth, and positions the region as a reliable gateway within the global digital ecosystem," said Frehiwot Tamru, CEO, Ethio Telecom.

Djibouti City is a key landing station for several African and international cable systems, including 2Africa, Seacom, Sea-Me-We-6, AAE-1, and DARE (Djibouti Africa Regional Express), with these cables linking Africa to the Middle East and Europe.

Neighboring Port Sudan also connects several cables to the Middle East and Europe.

"The Horizon project opens a new chapter in the development and integration of telecommunications infrastructure in our region, with a common goal of progress and shared prosperity," added Magdi M. Abdalla Taha, CEO, Sudatel Group.

"It demonstrates our ability to build strategic infrastructure together, strengthen our digital sovereignty, and affirm our role on the global stage."