Telecom Egypt is planning to launch Hybrid African Ring Path (HARP) by 2023, a new subsea system circling the African continent to link it with Europe. "This will connect coastal and landlocked African countries to Europe through the company's widespread terrestrial and subsea infrastructure," the telecom operator said in a bourse disclosure on Wednesday. Through the new system, Africa's East and West bounds will be connected to Europe, from South Africa to Italy and France along the continent's East Coast, and to Portugal along its West Coast. The path will connect the landing points within South Africa, Europe, and Egypt, in the shape of a complete ring around the continent. "HARP's planned routes will cross the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, with multiple ring protection topologies, and will extend to include premium routes on both banks of the Suez Canal." "Sharm Elsheikh, located at the southern tip of Sinai, will serve as a new landing point and will be connected to coastal cities on the Gulf of Suez, forming a hybrid terrestrial and subsea fibre connectivity solution between landing points in Egypt."
