Assessment of Trans-Atlantic Submarine Fiber Optic Cable

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Washington for the opportunity to speak on this matter, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for really digging into this information and recognizing the potential national security interests as you heard outlined by them both.

There are hundreds of undersea fiber optic telecommunications cables linking North America with Europe, South America, and a myriad of locations in Asia, but not a single undersea fiber optic telecommunications cable connects North America with the entire African Continent.

The DiasporaLink Act represents an opportunity to establish a high- speed, secure telecommunications data connection to Africa and from American soil facilitating deepened economic connections and aiding American regional security assistance. This link will allow America to establish a direct digital presence on the continent to capitalize on emerging economic opportunities, as well as to protect our Nation against cyber and military threats that may come from the African Continent.

The landing points of Lagos, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana, have been selected as part of the study on the continent as landing points for the cables. These coastal cities are hubs for several undersea cables that connect West African nations to Europe and South America. Additionally, the strategically located American Embassies at these landing points provide additional security for us.

There are two other nations which have been proliferating throughout the African Continent at this time. Both of those are our adversaries, and it is incredibly important that we establish our own telecommunications internet undersea cable to the continent.

The first one, which is China, has a proliferation of Chinese telecommunications and military investments which is profound and growing. The Chinese multinational Huawei has constructed roughly 70 percent of Africa's information technology infrastructure. China continues to make similar investments in the Caribbean through its Belt and Road Initiative. No less than 10 nations have signed agreements of various kinds to open their nations up to Chinese influence.

Russia, as well, has developed a multipolar world order. Its deployment of disinformation and its use of mercenaries have undermined democratic stability and driven conflict on the continent of Africa. Moscow's increasing ambitions to position itself as an ally to African countries and stoke anti-Western sentiment has assisted to turn the continent into a flash point in the global strategic competition between Russia and the West.

Russia's support of authoritarian governments, including its backing of a string of coups in recent years, is undermining the continent's democratic aspirations. Meanwhile, the involvement of Russia's Wagner Group is driving conflict, worsening human rights abuses, and spurring growing militarization in governance: Nigeria in 2023, Mali in 2022, Sudan in 2021, Guinea in 2023, Burkina Faso in 2024, all coups in the last few years with tremendous influence by Russia and China in that.

The undersea cable linking the American East Coast and Africa via the United States Virgin Islands would serve as both a national security instrument and a digital commerce expressway to boost America's global political, economic, and military advantages. Such undersea cable development would facilitate similar links that could be developed in the U.S. Virgin Islands which already has links between the Virgin Islands, South America, and the mainland United States.

We also need to be clear about the minerals that are in Africa that are being extracted continually by both Russia and China. Niger is the world's seventh largest producer of uranium. The Ministry of Mines says that Mali has one of the largest deposits of gold, and lithium, as well; cobalt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Sudan, which also has tremendous minerals; and Burkina Faso with bauxite and phosphate. These are things being exploited by our adversaries on the continent, which we must have our own dedicated interest in.

The DiasporaLink Act is an opportunity to assure that the United States can continue its work countering the proliferation of Chinese influence in the global telecommunications space. The use of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which not only has those cables, but also has a National Guard installation on the island of St. Croix with a nearby military support airport could expand and support that interest, as well.

I thank the Energy and Commerce Committee for reviewing this at the subcommittee level, having it go through the committee process, the regular order process that this House so desperately wants, and after working together, it unanimously coming out of committee here to the floor.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this measure for the interest not only of our country but for the democracy in the African Continent, as well.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source