New cable network to help Guinea join digital world: president

CONAKRY - A 4,000-km fibre optic cable network to be constructed by China's Huawei company will help Guinea join the digital world, the Guinean president has said.

President Alpha Conde over the weekend launched a national program to lay the fibre optic cable, which will cost $238 million, with 90 percent of it provided by China Eximbank in form of preferential loans.

Chinese telecom giant Huawei will carry out the installation of the fibre optic cable.

"The project will enable Guinea to join the digital world and develop its information and communication technologies (ICT) sector," Conde said.

The fibre optic cable will help to connect the town with villages, thus enabling rural populations to embrace technology in their socioeconomic development process, he added.

"Our country will experience technological revolution in sectors such as health, education, environment and governance," the president said.

Chinese Ambassador to Guinea Bian Jianqiang at the launching ceremony, said the fibre optic is the largest project ever in telecommunication sector under China-Guinea cooperation.

The project will promote the country's modernization, boost its economy and create thousands of jobs for local people, he said.

Noting that China and Guinea have had fruitful cooperation, the ambassador said China would encourage more Chinese companies to invest in Guinea to deepen bilateral cooperation in various sectors.

Huawei has been operating in Guinea since 2002. The vice-chairman of Huawei West Africa, Li Xiangyu, said the company aims to enrich the lives of Guinean people.