Moroccan Satellite Communications System for Africa to Speed up Continent’s Digitalization
Moroccan Panafsat company is planning to deploy a satellite communications system destined for Africa with the support of Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture set by French Thales group and Italian Leonardo corporation.
The announcement was made during the meeting held Tuesday in Rabat between Moroccan-French businessmen on the sidelines of the state visit French President Emmanuel Macron is paying to Morocco (Oct.28-30).
The Moroccan satellite communications project intends to deliver very-high-throughput services (VHTS) to 26 African countries, 23 of them in French-speaking Africa, covering a combined population of around 550 million people over an area spanning 12 million square kilometers.
Thales Alenia Space will build for the Moroccan company a very-high-performance flexible satellite. Once in orbit, the satellite will deliver high-speed internet to accelerate the transformation of Africa’s digital landscape.
This will be achieved by providing the connectivity required for high value-added services for the benefit of governments, businesses and individuals. It will also help bridge the digital divide in rural and isolated communities.
CEO of Panafsat Ahmed Toumi said: “This project is the next key stage in the digital transformation process and the development of a digital economy in Morocco, and across Africa as a whole”.
It will change the lives of millions of African people, eager to benefit from Internet access and all the essential services they need.
Thales Alenia Space CEO Hervé Derrey said: “It is a privilege for Thales Alenia Space to be chosen by Panafsat to deliver this new geostationary telecommunications satellite”.
The project will make a significant contribution to bridging the digital divide in rural areas, as well as boosting economic growth and strengthening digital sovereignty across the African continent. “We are honored to embark on this long-term partnership with Africa’s foremost private operator, helping it to expand its capabilities and develop space services for the benefit of the entire continent”, he added.
