Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has announced a new partnership with Google to establish a major subsea cable to enhance digital connectivity across the Pacific.

Rabuka says the South Pacific Connect Initiative will establish a new subsea cable, linking the United States, Fiji, Australia and French Polynesia.

According to the Prime Minister, Google will also construct diverse cable landing stations in Fiji and connect them with an interlink cable, which will connect trans-Pacific routes, improve reliability, add capacity and reduce latency for users in the Pacific and around the world.

He says the ‘Tabua Cable’ will connect the US, Australia and Fiji.

Rabuka says one of the key aspects of the initiative is the planned interlinking subsea cable connecting Fiji and French Polynesia, which provides the potential for other Pacific Island countries and territories.

He adds this substantial investment in Fiji and the broader South Pacific Connect Initiative is set to revolutionize digital connectivity in the region, providing a robust and reliable network, vital backup, expended capacity and minimizing delays for users in Fiji.

Rabuka acknowledges all collaborator who engaged in the ground-breaking endeavour, as well as the support of the US and Australian governments, allowing for potential future submarine cable connections to other Pacific Island countries.

Minister for Communications Manoa Kamikamica says submarine cables have a well-demonstrated history of driving economic growth and improving productivity.

He says the establishment of the Tabua Cable will deliver robust redundancy needed to support and enable new investments and growth in the ICT, business process outsourcing services and new sectors.

According to Kamikamica, the partnership will strengthen Fiji and FINTEL’s telecommunications hub status and provide much needed reliable and resilient connectivity between the people of the Pacific and the rest of the world.