Sam Kusi, Liquid Telecom Chairman for Central Africa during the inauguration of Liquid Telecom in Juba - July 1, 2019, Photo: Garang Abraham @Eye Radio

South Sudan will be connected to the rest of the world with fibre optics network within the period of three months, Liquid Telecom Company Chairman for Central Africa has said.

Liquid Telecom Company – a subsidiary of Econet Global, has been licensed by the National Communications Authority to construct and operate electronic communications systems – also known as fiber optics in South Sudan.

The initiative is part of a bid to bring high-speed broadband internet to South Sudan that is expected to help in enhancing digital literacy in the country.

It is also expected to make the internet more accessible and cheaper for citizens of South Sudan.

Sam Kusi, Liquid Telecom Chairman for Central Africa said South Sudan will be connected with the East African region within the period of three months.

“Within the period of under three months, you will be connected to your East African family. You will no longer feel that you are 13 million you are part of the 300 million,” he said.

He appealed to the concerned ministries in the country to corporate with them by guaranteeing security and access to land for laying of the fiber.

“We count on the facilitation and partnership, this is a journey we are starting with the Republic of South Sudan as part of the peace dividend and as part of economic development, we want you to join in the digital journey,” Sam Kusi has said.

“We have started already and done the design on how do we connect, how you order equipment and what equipments are required,” he added.

Liquid Telecom is a leading pan-African telecoms group that will connect South Sudan to the One Africa broadband network, and to the rest of the world.

Liquid Telecom said it’s One Africa broadband network is approaching 70,000km across 13 African countries.

With phase one due to be completed before the end of 2019, Liquid Telecom said its network will eventually make reliable and affordable internet connectivity available for nearly 13 million citizens of South Sudan, as well as thousands of businesses, government institutions, and non-governmental organisations.

South Sudan will link to Liquid Telecom’s network across the region, which covers the East African Community, a regional intergovernmental organisation of six partner states – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The Community connects up to 300 million people and stimulates cross-border investment and trade.

The first phase of the agreement, signed between the National Communication Authority and Liquid Telecom, will include a 300km fibre backbone operating from the border of Uganda, through South Sudan, to the country’s capital, and largest city, Juba.

Multiple metro clusters will also support Juba. This first phase is scheduled to go live in the last quarter of 2019.

The Liquid Telecom Chairman for Central Africa said that the network will be expanded to other cities in subsequent phases, in time supporting the country’s 13 million citizens.