Mauritania, EllaLink Sign Deal for International Subsea Cable Connection

Mauritania is set to establish a second international subsea fiber optic cable connection through an agreement signed between the country’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and Public Sector Innovation and cable operator EllaLink.

The project involves a new high-capacity fiber optic branch connecting Mauritania to Madrid, Spain, through the EllaLink cable system. A 500-Km subsea cable will connect from a new landing station to be built in Nouadhibou—Mauritania’s second-largest city—into EllaLink’s transatlantic infrastructure.

The undersea section will be constructed by telecommunications provider Alcatel Submarine Networks and will include two fiber pairs, advanced optical technologies and a ROADM WSS branching unit. EllaLink will operate and maintain the infrastructure.

Construction has begun, with completion expected in early 2027. The system will provide Mauritanian operators with a direct, low-latency connection offering speeds of 200 Gbps to EllaLink’s point of presence in Madrid.

Mauritania currently relies on a single subsea connection—the Africa Coast to Europe system landing in Nouakchott. The EllaLink cable will introduce improve network reliability, mitigating the impact of outages and supporting the country’s digital development strategy.

“This new connection will provide direct, cost-effective access to major European internet exchange points,” said Philippe Dumont, CEO, EllaLink. “We are proud to support Mauritania’s vision for advancing its digital economy.”