- The submarine cable will bring more light in the villages and homes of the people in Pemba, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Svein Bæra of the Norwegian Embassy said at the opening ceremony. - We are also convinced that the stable supply of electricity provided by the cable will benefit business and tourism as well as schools and health services, Bæra said.
The production and installation of the submarine cable has been financed jointly by The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, The Union Government and Norway. Total costs are 400 million NOK (Norwegian kroner) out of which Norway has contributed 300 million NOK while Zanzibar and the Union Government has contributed 100 million NOK together.
The 78 kilometre long cable has replaced three old diesel generators, and with the new cable electricity supply in Pemba will have much higher capacity and reliability than before. The project aims to meet the electricity demand on Pemba for the next 20-25 years. The supplier of the cable was the company Nexans and it was their ship C/S Nexans Skagerrak, a ship specially designed to lay complex underwater cables that installed the cable. As the Pemba Channel is more than 800 meter deep only two ships in the world are equipped to tackle the challenges and conduct this type of installations.
Cable is symbol of unity
As a symbol of reconciliation and unity the celebration was attended by leaders of CCM and CUF jointly, including H.E. Vice President Shein, H.E. President Karume and CUF Secretary General Seif Sharif Hamad.
- Electricity is important for development. But it is not enough. Peace and political stability is a must for development. Today the political leaders in Zanzibar celebrate together. They walk the road of dialogue rather than the road of confrontation. To Norway this is a symbol of the reconciliation and the unity that is part of life in Zanzibar today. We now look forward to the referendum and to continued peace and unity in Zanzibar, said Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Svein Bæra.