Following last year's Djibouti forum, what did the agreement with the Djibouti Sovereign Wealth Fund entail?
Collaboration with the Djibouti Sovereign Wealth Fund (FSD) was a strategic step in developing a data center project in the region. Because Djibouti is chosen for its strategic geographical location and is the main hub of East Africa's submarine cables and interconnections. This will provide direct access to the global digital market and strengthen its position in the region.
FSD and Djibouti Télécom play an important role in this project, providing technical support to promote access to local resources, ensure smooth collaboration with authorities, and ensure the success of the project.
Since signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), we have been working on developing a deployment plan and have already begun the first phase of implementation. The timetable envisages a gradual launch where the first phase of the project can be operated in the next 12-18 months.
What is the overview of the Data Center Project?
Djibouti's data center project is designed to meet the growing connectivity and data storage needs of the region. The data center is equipped with the latest security, cooling and energy management technologies and provides scalable hosting capabilities with substantial initial investments to ensure the sustainability and performance of the facility.
The project will provide colocation capabilities to a wide range of local and international businesses. It also provides interconnect services and cloud solutions tailored to the needs of various sectors, facilitating integration with submarine cables and other connectivity infrastructures.
We have strategic partnerships with technology companies and infrastructure experts to ensure successful deployments. We are currently in the design phase and will be rolling out the project in stages over the next few months, with gradual commissioning of the facility.
How do you think this will have an impact on Djibouti's digital and telecom systems?
We expect it to have a major positive impact on Djibouti's digital and telecom ecosystems. By providing modern data center infrastructure, we will support the country's digital economy and improve regional and international connectivity, which are essential to attract more investment.
Local businesses now have access to scalable colocation solutions and cloud services, allowing them to focus on core operations without worrying about complex IT infrastructure management.
The project also seeks to increase the appeal of Djibouti's international companies, particularly the telecommunications, finance and technology sectors, and benefit from reliable connectivity, proximity to submarine cables and local hosting solutions.
This creates a more competitive and dynamic environment for the entire local ecosystem.
Djibouti is a hub of African submarine cables and interconnections. How does your project fit this?
Djibouti's Paix Data Centers project fits perfectly with this strategic dynamic. Djibouti is the main intersection of submarine cables that connect Africa to other continents, particularly Europe, the Middle East and Asia. This favourable geographic location allows businesses looking to access the global market with fast, low latency connectivity solutions.
Our projects stand out from existing players thanks to their career-neutral model. This gives businesses the freedom to choose their service provider and have full control over their digital infrastructure.
Additionally, we plan to expand long term with new sites and additional services as demand for cloud and connectivity solutions evolves in the region.
