ACER’s Role in Africa’s Digital Connectivity Transformation

With eight completed projects (Melkbosstrand (2), Duynefontein (1), Ysterfontein (1), Port Elizabeth (1), Amanzimtoti (2), and Mtunzini (1), as well as three ongoing projects (one at Amanzimtoti and two at Melkbosstrand), Namibia (one at Swakopmund), and Togo (one at Lomé), ACER (Africa) Environmental Consultants has supported the successful landing of subsea telecommunications fiber optic cables throughout Africa for more than 20 years. SAT-3/WASC/SAFE, ACE, Equiano, 2AFRICA, and T3 cable systems are among the systems ACER has experience with.

ACER’s involvement begins well before cable landing, often involving site selection studies and environmental screening to identify suitable landing sites and associating land routes to cable landing stations, followed by an overview environmental assessment considering physical, biological, social and cultural heritage aspects. Applicable permits are identified and the process for permitting elaborated per legal jurisdiction.

Once a landing site is confirmed, ACER takes responsibility for a suite of permits to be acquired to enable the cable landing. This involves environmental authorisation/licensing, where relevant:-

the acquisition of ancillary permits/licenses (such as for water uses, the removal of protected flora, theuse of vehicles in the coastal zone, and land leases and wayleaves),
public participation and engagement (with regulatory authorities, communities,
marine users and the public),
and the commissioning and integration of specialist studies (such as marine ecology and benthic habitats, fisheries, coastal and dune dynamics, terrestrial ecology, marine and terrestrial heritage, marine mammals and underwater noise).

An added service by ACER is compliance monitoring during construction, cable landing and rehabilitation to ensure all parties comply with the provisions of the various licenses as well as the project-specific environmental management programme.

Overall, from initial feasibility through environmental authorisation/licensing and construction compliance monitoring, to rehabilitation, ACER provides the environmental expertise needed to help deliver critical digital infrastructure to South Africa and Africa, while protecting sensitive coastal and marine environments.