ETHIOPIA: Rehabilitation of damaged optical groundwire in post-conflict areas

The conflict in Northern Ethiopia (Tigray, North Amhara) has caused damage to the fiber optic network over a distance of 1000km.

Optic Fiber Ground Wire Network (OPGW) is the fiber optic infrastructure installed on the electric grid. It represents 14000km of coverage, 8000 km of which is leased by Ethio Telecom, without back-up underground infrastructure. 448km of these lines sustained a lot of damage due to the conflict in North Ethiopia.

The destruction deprived over 6 million people, 2,500 hospitals and health centres and 9 universities of access to broadband data. 

EEP therefore requested AFD for emergency support in two areas:  rehabilitation of the electricity network and rehabilitation of the fiber optic network in priority areas.

The objective of this project is the emergency rehabilitation of the fiber optic network in priority areas in 2023/2024. This involves financing the rehabilitation of 500km out of the 1000km fiber optic network damaged because of the conflict.

Restoration of Internet services in the affected regions could be envisaged in 2024.

By supporting the restoration of Internet access, this project will:

• Makes it possible to support the digital inclusion of populations that have lost Internet access due to the conflict and to envisage this access for those who do not yet have it, due to a lack of infrastructure;
• Restore internet services to the affected institutions (hospitals, clinics, universities, banks, companies), allowing them to provide an acceptable level of service to users, but also to develop new services by updating their information systems;
• The project also supports the achievement of SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and SDG 4 (quality education) by developing infrastructures that allow these institutions to provide these essential services in an efficient and sustainable way.