Batelco, part of the Beyon Group, and e&, a global technology and investment major, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the landing of Al Khaleej Cable in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The MoU was signed in the presence of Hani Askar (Chief Global Business Officer, Batelco) and Nabil Baccouche (Chief Carrier and Wholesale Officer, e& Carrier & Wholesale Group) during the recently held Capacity Middle East convention.
According to an official statement released by Batelco, the 1,400 kilometers long Al Khaleej subsea data cable system will connect Bahrain to other regional countries including Oman, Qatar and the UAE and it will be fully owned by Batelco. This development aims to enhance data exchange and communication capabilities within the region.
Batelco further revealed, “The Al Khaleej Cable will branch off from the 21,700-kilometre-long SEA-ME-WE 6 cable, currently in development to connect Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe.” Batelco through the Beyon Group is one of the major investors in the SEA-ME-WE 6 consortium.
Speaking on the occasion, Hani Askar said, “We are proud to announce signing with e& to land the Al Khaleej Cable in the UAE, marking a significant milestone in enhancing connectivity across the GCC region. As the exclusive owner of this state-of-the-art Al Khaleej cable system, we are committed to providing unparalleled connectivity and a digital superhighway that will transform communication within the region.” He further said, “Through our active participation in the SEA-ME-WE 6 and Al Khaleej Cable systems, alongside our existing international infrastructure and strategic partnerships with industry leaders like e&, we are revolutionizing the diversity, resilience, and latency of our network systems.”
Meanwhile, Nabil Baccouche said, “We are extremely delighted to cooperate with Batelco as the exclusive landing party for the Al Khaleej cable in the UAE. Our expertise over the past decades in landing over 20 submarine cables will certainly provide timely deployment of world-class infrastructure as part of this strategic partnership.” He added, “The integration of the new submarine cable Al Khaleej into the UAE extending its reach to Bahrain and the GCC marks a ground-breaking milestone in the region’s telecommunications infrastructure. This new development enhances much needed subsea diversification of routes, paving the way for unparalleled international connectivity into the heart of the Middle East.”
The Al Khaleej Cable which will diversify routes and augment international connectivity for the region is expected to be in service by Q2 2026.
*Feature Image from Batelco website.