How geography and regime influence the internet in Guinea-Bissau

Connectivity of Guinea-Bissau: One Marine Cable and Land as a Backup Path

Guinea-Bissau is connected to the global internet infrastructure only through one submarine cable - Africa Coast to Europe (ACE). This cable, brought into operation in 2012, has a length of 17,000 km and connects West Africa with Europe. The only landing point in the country is in Suro. In our Resilience Index, Guinea-Bissau scores 25 out of 100 and falls into the "land routes" category: while the country relies on one cable at sea, it has land-based neighbors, but we do not measure or count land crossings, so they are not factored in. The practical meaning is simple: a break in ACE does not necessarily leave the country without internet access entirely, but will force traffic to take a detour overland - longer and more expensive.

Unlike countries with multiple cable connections, Guinea-Bissau has no backup routes. This makes it dependent on a single infrastructure element and also on the stability of transit countries through which traffic passes.

Regime and Censorship: Limited Data

Guinea-Bissau is known for its politically unstable situation. However, GeoCables does not measure censorship directly as there are no observation points in the country. According to publicly available information, internet access has been restricted during political crises in the past. Nonetheless, there is no confirmed data on large-scale or systematic traffic censorship.

The only ACE landing point in the country could theoretically serve as a convenient tool for controlling internet traffic. However, the absence of alternative routes makes interfering with cable operations risky even for authorities, as this could lead to complete loss of external communication.

Recent Developments: New Constitution

In the backdrop of a recent referendum that approved a constitution expanding presidential powers, the country is experiencing political changes. Although no direct impact on internet connectivity has been recorded so far, increased government control may indirectly affect the management of internet infrastructure. Given the monopoly on the single cable, such changes require close monitoring.

Risks and Infrastructure Vulnerabilities

The main risk for Guinea-Bissau is the lack of diversified cable infrastructure. In case of a break or damage to the ACE cable, the country would be completely cut off from the internet. This vulnerability is also heightened by its geographical location: neighboring countries such as Guinea and Senegal play the role of transit providers for international traffic, adding dependence on their infrastructural stability.

Undersea cables often suffer from natural factors like earthquakes or human activities, including anchoring damage and illegal actions. For Guinea-Bissau, even a temporary malfunction of the ACE cable could have significant economic and communication implications.

Monitoring by GeoCables

GeoCables monitors the status of the ACE cable, including its section passing through Guinea-Bissau. We record data on the cable's status, delays, and other parameters that allow for timely assessment of situations in case of malfunctions. Our platform provides analytical information about the state of key routes, which is particularly important for highly isolated countries like Guinea-Bissau.

In light of the current infrastructure vulnerability, it is important for the country to develop additional internet connection routes. This would reduce risks associated with dependence on a single submarine cable.