Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, recently met with three African presidents on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York to discuss the potential of Starlink, a satellite internet service, in Africa.
During his meetings with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Lesotho Prime Minister Same Matekane, and Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba, Musk focused on expanding the high-speed satellite internet service across the continent. This comes as Burundi became the 15th African nation to adopt Starlink.
While Starlink is seeking regulatory approval in South Africa, Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of bridging the digital divide by providing internet access to rural and underprivileged populations. This marks the second meeting between Ramaphosa and Musk in recent months, with the South African president encouraging Musk to invest in South Africa.
Musk shared his positive experience from the meetings on social media, expressing optimism about the potential for improved internet access and technological advancement in Africa.
In addition to these meetings, Musk also received praise from Kenya President William Ruto for Starlink’s positive impact on the East African country.