An \u00a0underwater cable\u00a0 costing \u00a049 million euros\u00a0 is set to connect the Canary Islands with Africa, but its journey will end precisely where legal complexities arise: the border of \u00a0Western Sahara\u00a0.<\/p>\n
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This ambitious project, known as the \u00a0Ring of the East\u00a0, will initially connect Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura through cutting-edge fiber technology. Once it reaches the African continent, it will extend to \u00a0Tarfaya\u00a0, the last Moroccan city before entering the contentious territory of Western Sahara.<\/p>\n
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The \u00a0Canarian government\u00a0 has been transparent regarding the project, stating categorically, \u201cThe cable goes to Tarfaya, it has nothing to do with Western Sahara.\u201d<\/a> However, Morocco has different aspirations. The Moroccan government aims to extend this cable to what it refers to as its “South Provinces,” a euphemism for the Saharawi territory that has been the center of conflict since \u00a0Spain\u00a0 withdrew from the region in 1975.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Submarine cables serve as the \u00a0highways\u00a0 of the internet, with \u00a099%\u00a0 of global data traffic traversing through them. This upcoming project holds the promise of transforming the Canary Islands into a vital \u00a0digital hub\u00a0 connecting Europe and Africa.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, there are significant \u00a0legal challenges\u00a0 to consider. The \u00a0EU Court of Justice\u00a0 has ruled that any economic activity in \u00a0Western Sahara\u00a0 must have the approval of the \u00a0Polisario Front\u00a0, which is recognized by the UN as the legitimate representative of the Saharawi people. The \u00a0Polisario\u00a0 has already issued a stern warning: if the cable crosses into Saharawi territory, they intend to pursue legal action.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since \u00a0Pedro S\u00e1nchez\u00a0 backed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara in 2022, Spain has struggled to balance its economic relationships with Morocco against its international legal responsibilities. This cable project poses a unique test of that balance. Should the infrastructure funded by European investments facilitate Moroccan expansion into \u00a0Western Sahara\u00a0, it could expose Spain to significant legal troubles within European courts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The construction of the cable is already underway, with notable financial specifics:<\/p>\n In \u00a0February\u00a0, technicians from \u00a0Canalink\u00a0\u2014the Canarian public company leading the initiative\u2014visited Tarfaya to assess the land and plan the submarine layout. The cable is set to be manufactured in \u00a02025\u00a0 and deployed in \u00a02026\u00a0.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This isn’t the \u00a0first\u00a0 time the Canary Islands have connected with Morocco. Since \u00a02011\u00a0, there has been a cable linking the islands with \u00a0Asilah\u00a0, located in northern Morocco. This scenario did not provoke any controversy due to the geographical distance from the disputed territory.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In contrast, this new initiative approaches the boundary of Western Sahara. Although the cable will technically stop there, it sets a foundational stage for Morocco to complete what European firms cannot do due to legal restrictions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The \u00a0Polisario Front\u00a0 has previously achieved significant victories in European courts, including annulments of \u00a0fishing agreements\u00a0 and agricultural contracts between the EU and Morocco that involved Saharawi resources without proper consent. Abdulah Arabi, a representative of the Polisario in Spain, has remarked, \u201cWe will carry out any action to guarantee the rights of the Saharawi people.\u201d If the cable crosses the border into Saharawi territory, it could become their next target.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The project will move forward since the Canary Islands require this essential connection. The \u00a0ESSI\u00a0 in Spain retains an illusion of detachment, claiming responsibility ends at Tarfaya. If Morocco chooses to extend the cable into Western Sahara using European-financed infrastructure, Spain may again find itself embroiled in a clash between economic objectives and obligations to a territory it relinquished over fifty years ago.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This time, however, the contest is not over fishing quotas or phosphates; it revolves around control of \u00a0data\u00a0 flow between two continents, a new frontier in the ongoing saga of global connectivity.<\/p>\n In \u00a0\u00a0Xataka\u00a0 | The Google Maps of submarine cables: an imposing interactive map that allows us to know the skeleton of the modern world<\/p>\n Outstanding image | Telef\u00f3nica<\/a><\/p>\n <img alt=\"The office of underwater cable technician, counted by someone who has been in it: "My worst enemy are earthquakes"\" width=\"375\" height=\"142\" src=\"https:\/\/i.blogs.es\/88bfbc\/1366_2000-1\/375_142.jpg\"\/><\/code><\/pre>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhy is it Important?<\/h2>\n
The Context<\/h2>\n
The Money Trail<\/h2>\n
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The Precedent<\/h2>\n
The Threat<\/h2>\n
And Now What?<\/h2>\n