CTM, a subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited, and Angola Cables announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in December 2019, to enhance digital opportunities for business between Macau, Mainland China, African Portuguese-speaking countries and Brazil. 

CTM envisages leveraging on its international network and Macau’s privileged position in the Greater Bay Area, a key hub for the digitalization of Asia-Pacific region. Macau and the neighbouring regions have the condition and opportunities to be the landing point for international cable systems and the ideal location of hosting datacenters, in order to promote the digital ecosystem of the region.

Angola Cables has a submarine cable network linking the continents in the Atlantic region, with high availability and good quality, it is owner of datacenters, in Angola and Brazil and it is promoting the southern Atlantic digital hub.

The partnership aims primarily to establish the terms, to promote strategies and opportunities to link the Greater Bay Area to Africa and the Americas, in particular Portuguese-speaking countries.

Angola Cables CEO, António Nunes says discussions and co-operation between the parties can be instrumental in reshaping the digital ecosystems within Africa, in order to leapfrog the existing gap with the rest of the world. CTM and Macau could play a very important roll, to enable this link and open doors to the Orient.   ‘’Expanding connectivity across the southern hemisphere has the potential to unlock the many advantages and benefits brought about by secure, digital access – from the promotion of foreign trade to robust economic development,” says Nunes. “Advancing technology in subsea cables networks have provided a backbone to support data centers and digital ecosystems that will connect our new, digitally-driven world.”

CTM CEO, Vandy Poon says the potential partnership reflects the company’s positioning to actively participate in the realization of Macau’s designs in the context of the Greater Bay Area and the One Belt One Road Initiative. Leveraging on Macau’s status as a privileged platform for connecting China with Portuguese-speaking countries, CTM believes that with the increasing degree of integration in the Greater Bay Area, Macau will play a significant role in promoting business cooperation between companies from China and Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and the Americas to jointly explore new investment and business opportunities and markets.