Mali and Senegal have commissioned a cross-border fiber-optic connection that links their national telecommunications backbone networks, strengthening West Africa’s digital infrastructure. The link provides landlocked Mali with an additional high-capacity route to international digital infrastructure through submarine cable systems that terminate in Senegal, with onward connections through Cape Verde and Portugal. It is also designed to provide redundancy, thereby helping maintain connectivity when alternative transmission routes experience disruptions. The project integrates with Mali’s domestic fiber network, which spans more than 3,500 kilometers, and follows a bilateral agreement finalized in April 2026. Implemented under the West African National Backbone Network initiative, the connection supports broader regional efforts to link public telecommunications infrastructure, increase transmission capacity, and improve the reliability of internet and data services across participating countries.