KBC Channel 1

Tag: Sweden

  • New submarine cable to be built between Finland, Sweden

    New submarine cable to be built between Finland, Sweden

    The construction of a new submarine cable linking Sweden and Finland has officially begun, GlobalConnect, a leading digital infrastructure provider in the Nordic region.

    The initiative is designed to enhance data transmission capacity across the Baltic region. According to GlobalConnect, the project responds to the rapidly growing demand for secure, high-capacity fiber infrastructure, driven by the expansion of major data centers and emerging artificial intelligence hubs in the Nordics.

    “Adding new routes in and out of the Nordics is not only about transmitting more data — it also ensures vital redundancy,” said Par Jansson, senior vice president at GlobalConnect Carrier, stressing that it reduces the risk of disruptions or deliberate damage, and ensures data traffic can continue even if one route is compromised.

    In addition to the 150-kilometer submarine cable, GlobalConnect will also upgrade its terrestrial infrastructure. This includes the installation of approximately 365 kilometers of new fiber-optic cable spanning from Helsinki to southwestern Finland’s Turku, through the Aland Islands (an autonomous region of Finland), and from Stockholm to Gavle in eastern Sweden — increasing capacity for higher volumes of data traffic.

    The total investment in the project is estimated at 14 million euros (16.46 million U.S. dollars). Marine seabed surveys in the Baltic Sea began in the first half of 2025, with the cable expected to be operational by the end of 2026. (1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollar)

  • Sweden wants to rent prison cells in Estonia as inmate numbers soar

    Sweden wants to rent prison cells in Estonia as inmate numbers soar

    Sweden on Wednesday said that it had reached an agreement with Estonia to rent prison cells for up to 600 prisoners who could serve their sentences abroad.

    According to the agreement between the two countries, Sweden would be able to rent 400 cells in the Tartu prison in Estonia’s southeast, which has a capacity to house 600 prisoners.

    Sweden’s Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said Estonia was “a very important and close partner”, and is bound by the same international commitments when it comes to prisoners.

    “There are therefore very good conditions for a deeper cooperation between Sweden and Estonia,” Strommer told a press conference.

    He said that implementation of the deal would require changes to Swedish legislation and approval by a three-quarters majority in parliament.

    It is uncertain, however, whether Sweden’s parliament would approve the deal.

    Several opposition parties, as well as unions representing prison employees, have already expressed scepticism or outright opposition to the plan.

    A number of European countries have already experimented with similar solutions, including Norway and Belgium, which have rented cells in The Netherlands in the past, while Denmark is currently preparing to send inmates to Kosovo.

    Sweden has seen a rise in violent crime in recent years, in particular from shootings and bombings linked to score-settling between rival criminal networks.

    Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s centre-right minority government, backed in parliament by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, came to power in 2022 with a vow to get tough on crime.

    Ingemar Kihlstrom of the Christian Democrats, a junior coalition partner, noted that the government was instituting harsher sentences and giving police more powers to bring criminals to justice.

    “This will continue to put a lot of pressure on the prison system,” Kihlstrom told reporters.

    Prisoners would only be sent to Estonia if they had no need for extensive healthcare treatment and did not pose a high security risk, the government said.

    Strommer said a guiding principle for Sweden in the negotiations with Estonia had been “to ensure that the serving of sentences in Estonia is as similar as possible to what it would be in Sweden”.

    He said he hoped to sign the deal with his Estonian counterpart Liisa-Ly Pakosta “within a few weeks”.

    If passed by parliament, the deal would enter into force on July 1, 2026.

  • Kenya, Sweden to strengthen bilateral defence relations

    Kenya, Sweden to strengthen bilateral defence relations

    Defence relations between Kenya and Sweden received a major boost following a meeting between Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Sweden’s State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Jan Knutsson.

    The high-level meeting underscored the commitment of both nations to collaborate on key security and peacekeeping initiatives in Africa.

    “This morning, I hosted Sweden’s State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Jan Knutsson, at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters to strengthen bilateral defence relations,” CS Duale said

    The discussions also focused on enhancing support for peacekeeping missions in the Africa Great Lakes and Horn of Africa regions, where both Kenya and Sweden have played active roles.

    The officials further deliberated on the European Union’s role in Somalia post-ATMIS and its potential contributions to ensuring sustainable peace and security in the region.

    The Swedish delegation included Ambassador Caroline Vicini, Deputy Head of Mission Helge Flärd, and Deputy Director for Africa Fredrick Kirst while Kenya was represented by Col. Lazarus Wafula and Third Secretary Philes Sagini.

  • Kenya, Sweden to enhance cooperation in health sector

    Kenya, Sweden to enhance cooperation in health sector

    Kenya and Sweden have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in healthcare.

    This was revealed Tuesday when Swedish Ambassador to Kenya, Ms. Caroline Vicini called on Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Harry Kimtai.

    According to the Ministry of Health, their discussions centred on collaboration, covering research, training, and the ongoing medical student exchange program between MTRH and Sweden.

    They also explored avenues to boost cancer care awareness by tapping into Sweden’s expertise in the field.

    The partnerships underscore the importance of international collaboration in advancing healthcare and achieving universal health coverage.