Mali and Senegal have activated a new fiber-optic link that connects their main internet networks at a location called Kidira-Diboli. This development was announced by the Malian Society for Transmission and Broadcasting (SMTD-SA) and Senegal Digital (SENUM-SA) on Monday, October 5. The new connection allows Mali, which does not have direct access to undersea internet cables, to use an additional route to send its internet traffic through submarine cables that pass through Cape Verde and Portugal. This adds another option for Mali in case of problems with its current land-based internet routes. For Senegal, the new link is part of a broader network with several international connections. Senegal Digital is already connected to the country's national fiber network, and Senegal hosts several submarine cable systems, including 2Africa, ACE, and SAT-3. For Mali, which already has more than 3500 km of fiber optic cable within its borders, the new link provides an extra terrestrial connection to these international systems and reduces its reliance on a single route for internet traffic. The fiber-optic link was set up under the West African National Backbone Network (ROA-BN). This project was established after a convention signed by SMTD-SA and Senegal Digital during a regional workshop held on April 9 and 10, 2026, in Senegal. The regional network aims to gradually connect the public internet infrastructures of several countries, creating multiple routes for data transmission and increasing the reliability of digital networks in West Africa. The activation of this link marks a significant step in improving regional digital connectivity and resilience. By creating additional transmission routes, the project helps ensure that internet traffic can continue even if one route fails due to technical problems or other disruptions. This is especially important for countries like Mali, which previously had limited options for international internet access.