IEA News

Workonline Communications, one of Africa’s largest IP transit networks, has strengthened its presence in East Africa with the launch of a new Point of Presence (POP) at iColo’s NBO1 data center in Nairobi, Kenya. The expansion underscores Workonline’s commitment to delivering reliable, high-performance internet solutions in the region and improves network resiliency to support growing demand.

As East Africa continues to establish itself as a digital innovation hub, robust connectivity is critical to supporting cloud adoption, enterprise growth, and the region’s digital economy. Kenya, in particular, plays a vital role as a connectivity gateway for neighbouring countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and beyond. According to the Digital 2025: Kenya report by DataReportal, Kenya’s internet penetration rate stood at 48% and over 27.4 million internet users at the start of 2025. This is a key indicator that the demand for stable, scalable internet solutions is higher than ever.

This new POP in Nairobi is part of a broader strategy to enhance the resilience and redundancy of the Internet in East Africa. It provides critical enhancements, including splitting national long-distance capacity between Nairobi and Mombasa to support dual PoPs, adding redundancy within Mombasa’s metro infrastructure, and integrating new capacity through the 2Africa subsea cable system. These measures are aimed at ensuring a stronger, more stable network for clients across Kenya and the broader East African region.

“Kenya and East Africa are pivotal to our growth strategy,” said Benjamin Deveaux, Head of Business Development at Workonline Communications Group. “Our investment in this new POP and our collaboration with iColo not only reinforces our network’s stability but also highlights our dedication to providing customers with robust, reliable internet services. The increased network resilience will benefit our clients by offering improved redundancy and the flexibility of aggregating traffic across multiple POPs using the 95th percentile model.”

Workonline’s collaboration with iColo, part of global data center operator, Digital Realty, brings together two companies with a shared vision of fostering a thriving, open internet ecosystem. iColo’s carrier-neutral data centre offers an ideal environment for enterprises, content providers, and internet service providers (ISPs) to connect and expand. This is the fourth PoP that Workonline has deployed in Kenya. It further entrenches Workonline’s customers’ ability to leverage direct access to global carriers, cloud services, and content providers, enhancing their network performance and operational efficiency.

“We are delighted to bring onboard Workonline Communications to our connected data community at NBO1. This new entry contributes to our continuously growing number of internet service providers making the facility a true connectivity hub. It will also heavily support internet accessibility and efficiency while driving digital transformation not only in Nairobi but also in the entire East African region, commented Rina Sodha, Director, Customer Implementation of iColo

This latest development solidifies Workonline’s position as a key enabler of digital connectivity in Africa. By investing in new infrastructure and enhancing the resilience of its network, Workonline is ensuring that businesses and service providers in East Africa benefit from faster, more reliable, and scalable internet solutions.

Workonline (AS 37271) is one of the largest and fastest-growing IP transit networks in Africa. The company provides highly scalable, high-quality, and flexible service options to meet the needs of carriers, internet service providers, content providers, and mobile operators.

iColo: A Digital Realty Company designs, builds, and operates state-of-the-art carrier-neutral data centres in Kenya and Mozambique. It serves a broad spectrum of clients, including telecom carriers, ISPs, IT and cloud providers, content providers, and enterprise and financial services customers. As part of Digital Realty’s PlatformDIGITAL®, iColo connects clients to a global data community spanning 300+ facilities in over 50 metros across 27 countries. For more information, visit www.icolo.io or follow  on LinkedIn and X.

The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, has issued a stark warning about the continued flow of weapons into the war-torn country, saying it only “feeds military delusions” and delays peace. 

In his first in-depth interview since assuming the role earlier this year, Lamamra told Asharq Al-Awsat that peace in Sudan cannot be imposed from outside but must be forged by Sudanese themselves through collective will and unity.

“Peace is not imposed, it is made,” he said. “And if Sudanese do not make it, it will not come to them from the outside.”

Lamamra, an Algerian diplomat and former foreign minister with decades of experience in African mediation, emphasized that no military solution is possible in Sudan’s conflict. Instead, he called for an urgent political settlement, warning that “each day of delay means more fragmentation, more bloodshed.”

Following meetings in Port Sudan with Sovereign Council leader Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and ongoing communications with the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Lamamra acknowledged that the path to peace remains long and difficult.

He condemned what he described as a dangerous “logic of dominance” driving the conflict—a belief that complete military victory is possible, regardless of the cost to Sudan’s social fabric. “Some actors still think peace can wait until one side wins,” he said. “But that’s a delusion. There is no military solution.”

Instead, he stressed: “Sudan needs a political solution based on compromise, not revenge.”

Since taking office, Lamamra has focused on coordinating rather than expanding international mediation efforts. He voiced concern about the “overcrowding of mediators,” which he said has allowed Sudanese factions to exploit international divisions.

To address this, Lamamra launched a consultative group that includes the African Union, the Arab League, and peace-sponsoring countries. The group has met in Cairo, Djibouti, and Mauritania and plans to convene again in Brussels under EU sponsorship.

“What we need is not more mediators, but consensus around a unified vision,” he said. “Multiple tracks have allowed some parties to bet on contradictory international positions, delaying serious efforts toward peace.”

He pointed to UN Security Council Resolution 2724, which tasked him with coordinating peace efforts, emphasizing that its implementation hinges on aligning international efforts behind a single, realistic peace strategy.

Asked whether Sudan’s war has faded from global attention, Lamamra acknowledged that media coverage may fluctuate but said the humanitarian catastrophe continues to deepen.

“The suffering is daily and ongoing,” he said, highlighting the dire conditions in North Darfur and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Zamzam camp. “The tragedy breaks the heart.”

With over 13 million internally displaced and millions more seeking refuge abroad, Lamamra described Sudan as the site of the world’s largest humanitarian crisis today. “This is a country under siege by arms, division, and international silence,” he said.

He praised the special attention paid by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has longstanding ties to Sudan dating back to his leadership of the UN refugee agency.

Lamamra was especially vocal about the dangerous role of foreign military support. “Feeding the war with weapons is not support for resolution—it is participation in prolonging delusion and division,” he said.

He accused some regional and international actors of backing Sudanese factions in hopes of future influence. “They forget that war leaves nothing intact to control,” he noted. “It’s in no one’s interest to see Sudan collapse.”

The envoy reiterated the UN’s calls for a total halt to arms shipments and strict enforcement of Security Council resolutions aimed at cutting off military funding.

Despite international interference, Lamamra emphasized that the ultimate responsibility for ending the war lies with Sudanese themselves. “History will judge them first and foremost,” he underlined.

Lamamra said the Jeddah Declaration—an agreement brokered by Saudi Arabia to ensure humanitarian access and civilian protection—remains a viable starting point for peace efforts. He commended Riyadh’s efforts and urged regional actors to intensify pressure on warring factions.

He also pointed to the upcoming Arab League summit in Baghdad as a potential turning point. “Sudan is central to the Arab identity. This is not a crisis that allows for neutrality,” he said.

In a direct message to the Sudanese public, Lamamra expressed admiration for their resilience. “I visited Port Sudan recently and met with leaders and citizens. I was moved by their hospitality and strong will to take charge of their future,” he said.

He pledged the UN’s continued support, acknowledging the scale of the humanitarian challenge: “Children, women, and innocent civilians are being stripped of life’s basic necessities. This crisis demands a moral awakening—not just from governments, but from everyone who hears and sees.”

Lamamra concluded: “Peace is not a one-time event—it’s a long-term project. And if we don’t begin now, there may be nothing left to build on in a few months.”  Source: Al Sharq Al-Awsat