The landing of the MEDUSA submarine cable in Bizerte marks a major step forward in Tunisia’s connectivity strategy. Led by Orange Tunisia and supported by the European Union, this project places the country at the heart of data exchanges between Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
An architecture to connect two continents
More than 8,000 km long, the MEDUSA system will ultimately connect thirteen countries in the Mediterranean basin. After Marseille, where he landed on October 8, Tunisia becomes the first African country to host this digital backbone.
The Tunisian section, with a length of 1,040 km, will offer a maximum capacity of 24 Tbps. Orange Tunisia will be the owner and manager, through the Bizerte landing station, equipped with new generation technical infrastructure.
For Stéphane Varret, general manager of Orange Tunisie, “MEDUSA consolidates Tunisia’s position as a digital hub of the Mediterranean”. This project, he adds, illustrates the desire to “accelerate the digital transformation of the country and sustainably connect the territories”.
Structuring Euro-Mediterranean cooperation
Supported by the Connecting Europe Facility – Digital and the European Investment Bank, as part of the Global Gateway program, MEDUSA is part of the European strategy for digital sovereignty and network resilience.
According to Giuseppe Perrone, Ambassador of the European Union, “MEDUSA symbolizes a modern Euro-African partnership, based on connectivity, innovation and the shared values of sustainable development”.
This cooperation aims to strengthen Tunisia’s integration into European markets, develop joint research centers and promote sustainable digital inclusion.
Orange Tunisia, continuity of an infrastructure strategy
After the DIDON cable inaugurated in 2014, Orange Tunisia is pursuing a logic of long-term investment in very high-speed international networks.
With MEDUSA, the operator strengthens Tunisia’s position as a strategic node for Euro-African data flows, while consolidating its attractiveness for investors and its role in regional digital diplomacy.
