Christopher Makaza
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has today officially commissioned the National Backbone fibre link project in Beitbridge, emphasising that the project should spearhead digital transformation of rural areas and cities as the country moves towards introducing smart city technologies.
The TelOne Optic link which will connect Beitbridge with Bulawayo, Harare, Masvingo and the rest of the country was constructed by TelOne in partnership with China Exim Bank.
Addressing delegates at the event, President Mnangagwa said the optic fibre link was in line with Vision 2030, thanking government of China for its continued financial support towards the development of Zimbabwe`s economy.
"This is a momentous program for the commissioning of the National BroadBand optic fibre link. The project has a far-reaching impact towards our vision 2030," the president said.
"Special appreciation goes to the government of China for the loan facilities they continue to avail in support of infrastructure development in Zimbabwe. The US$98 million from China shows we have comprehensive partners and friends who continue supporting us in our quest to accelerate national economic development," he said.
President Mnangagwa appreciated the role played by internet connectivity in the global economy adding that the NBFL will not only contribute in employment creation but also in foreign currency generation.
“Internet connectivity plays a pivotal role in the global economy hence becomes critical as businesses now require a developed broadband infrastructure when seeking a location for investment.
“We look forward to seeing this investment not only contributing to employment creation but also generating the much needed foreign currency and wholesale improvement of Zimbabwe’s outlook as an investment destination. We used to think that Zimbabwe is landlocked but because of this backbone fibre infrastructure, we are now landlinked,” he said.
President Mnangagwa noted that Government is focusing on e-government programs in partnership with Information Communication Technology (ICT) firms like TelOne and NetOneCellular which he said would provide convenience to both the society and government employees through efficient government processes, systems and functions.
He also said that it was pleasing to note that the entire engineering and technology on this project was done by local sons and daughters.
Speaking at the same event, acting Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Zhao Boagang said the National Backbone fibre link would help decrease data costs in Zimbabwe.
The NBFL is a countrywide project of upgrading and modernizing Telone’s ICT infrastructure. The project which started in 2016 was financed by a $98 million loan facility bankrolled by a Chinese bank, China Exim Bank.
Through the project, Telone expects to provide an improved range and quality of services for its customers. The upgrade will also improve areas like Telone’s billing system, the quality of voice calls, faster internet speeds, toll-free services and interactive voice response services.
