Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — Center3, a connectivity company owned by stc Group, and Meta Company announced on Tuesday the landing of the world’s longest submarine cable project at two of the four planned landing sites in Saudi Arabia: Jeddah and Yanbu.
The project, a part of the 2Africa subsea cable consortium, is geared to making Saudi Arabia a global digital hub linking three continents of the world – Asia, Africa and Europe.
With over 45,000 km of length, the will connect 33 countries by the completion of the project in 2024, delivering reliable connectivity and internet services. The 2Africa subsea cable is expected to make four landings in Saudi Arabia; Jeddah and Yanbu, which were just completed; followed by Duba later this year, and Al Khobar in 2024.
The subsea cable will promote a surge in information exchange and digital business development, fostering current growth and the next growth stage in many of the economies it connects. It extends into the Arabian Gulf region through “the 2Africa Pearls” cable extensions, with landings in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, the UAE, Pakistan, and India, along with the East Coast of Saudi Arabia.
The 2Africa consortium includes center3, Meta, China Mobile International, MTN Global Connect, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone, and WIOCC.
According to center3’s CEO, Fahad A. Alhajeri, the project is a significant step towards achieving the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of internet access in people’s lives, making investing in subsea cables a vital aspect of providing a better experience for individuals in various industries, including healthcare, education, and social services, as stated by Meta’s Regional Director, Fares Akkad.
