Ooredoo will invest $500 million in new terrestrial fiber-optic cable systems linking the Arabian Peninsula to Europe. The network will begin in Oman, pass through Iraq and Turkey, and reach France, positioning Qatar as a key digital corridor. Similar initiatives are reportedly under discussion in Saudi Arabia and Syria.
Experts note that establishing land routes through Iraq and Syria signals increased confidence in both countries as secure transit hubs. This expansion would deepen their integration into international data networks and boost local digital economies.
The initiative aims to bypass geopolitical vulnerabilities in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz—regions where subsea cables face high risk from conflict, sabotage, and shipping disruptions. Recent incidents, including Houthi attacks that damaged key cable systems, have highlighted the fragility of existing routes.
Ooredoo CEO Aziz Al Uthman Fakhroo said the project will strengthen global network resilience and create new strategic pathways for data movement between Europe and Asia. The Middle East currently handles nearly a third of the world’s data traffic and 90% of digital exchanges between Asia and Europe.
Qatar continues to scale its telecom sector. The merger of QNBN and GBI has created a unified, carrier-neutral digital and AI infrastructure provider. Qatar is also investing in data centers and renewable energy sources such as solar to power its digital expansion. The country aims to attract global AI firms and position itself as a major data hub for the region
