by AKANI CHAUKE 
PRETORIA – THE United States Development Finance Corporation is funding, to the tune of $300 million, the rollout of data centres across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The funds will be used for the purposes to develop, build and operate these facilities.

This announcement by US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in South Africa comes after the American administration recently awarded a $600 million contract to build an undersea telecommunications cable that will stretch over 17 000 kilometres from Southeast Asia to Europe.

It will pass through the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, delivering high-speed, reliable, secure connections for people across the continents.

“The way this infrastructure is built will reverberate for decades,” Blinken stated.

He added: “After all, we’ve seen the consequences when international infrastructure deals are corrupt and coercive, when they’re poorly built or environmentally destructive, when they import or abuse workers, or burden countries with crushing debts.”

Blinken pledged the US was partnering with African governments, businesses, entrepreneurs to build and adapt the infrastructure that enables open, reliable, interoperable, secure internet; data centres and cloud computing.

The rollout is part of the US’ Sub-Saharan Africa Strategy, announced on Monday.

– CAJ News