The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Botswana Ministry of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, Cecil Masiga, said the recently launched Botswana Kalahari Fiber route (BKF) is a triumph for the people of Botswana and for the country’s economy.

He was speaking at an event held at Paratus Botswana head office, in Gaborone, to officially mark the opening of the BKF route.

Last month, leading telecommunications and network services provider, Paratus Botswana, announced it had completed the last leg of the new BKF route. Also attending the event to celebrate this connectivity breakthrough were Barney Harmse, Paratus Group Executive Chairman; Gert Duvenhage, Paratus Group Chief Operations Officer; MD of Paratus Botswana, Shawn Bruwer; and executives from BTC, Mascom and Orange.

A total of 840kms of fibre was laid between the Namibian border and Lobatse and was activated last month. Representing an investment of approximately BWP70 million in Botswana, the BKF is the largest significant investment in its own infrastructure by Paratus Botswana to date. The BKF completes the last leg of the Paratus built Trans Kalahari Fiber (TKF) route, which runs from Johannesburg to Swakopmund in Namibia. The new route creates the lowest latency primary transit path through Botswana and Namibia to Europe. The new BKF will connect Botswana and neighbouring countries to various international subsea cables, and to the rest of the world.

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Communications Ministry, Cecil Masiga, said at the event: “The launch of the Botswana Kalahari Fiber route by Paratus Botswana is not just a testament to the power of innovation, but also a pivotal step towards achieving our national goals as outlined in Vision 2036. In today’s fast-paced world, reliable and high-speed internet connectivity is not a luxury but a necessity. It is the backbone of modern economies, a vital tool for businesses and an essential service for our communities. The strategic endeavour by Paratus Botswana to lay an 840km fibre route from Gaborone all the way to the Namibian border is a groundbreaking project that promises to revolutionise our digital landscape.

He also stated: “Organisations like Paratus Botswana are the pillars on which we build our digital future. Their efforts in providing cutting-edge infrastructure and connectivity solutions play a critical role in transforming our nation. By ensuring that businesses and communities have access to reliable internet services, they empower Botswana to engage in the global digital economy, access educational resources and improve their quality of life.”

MD of Paratus Botswana, Shawn Bruwer, says: “The completion of this fibre route is yet another integral intervention in our commitment to provide the highest quality network services and to the Paratus Group’s overall vision to transform Africa through exceptional digital infrastructure and customer service.”