WorldLink: Bridging Regions with a Bold $700 Million Data Cable

An Iraqi-Emirati consortium plans a $700 million data cable linking the UAE to Turkey via Iraq, aiming to enhance regional connectivity as Gulf states compete for technological leadership. The WorldLink project will leverage an undersea route from Fujairah to Faw, extending overland to Turkey, easing data congestion.

An Iraqi-Emirati consortium unveiled plans for a $700 million subsea and terrestrial data cable connecting the United Arab Emirates to Turkey through Iraq, a project stakeholder disclosed to Reuters. This initiative, named WorldLink, follows the announcement of a Saudi-supported fiber-optic project in Syria, highlighting the Gulf's intensifying competition to become a primary data hub.

The WorldLink cable will initiate from Fujairah in the UAE, extend via an undersea path to Iraq's Faw peninsula, and proceed overland northward to the Turkish border, as detailed by Ali El Ekabi, the head of Iraq's Tech 964. Over the next five years, this privately funded venture will be executed in phases, targeting reduced data transit times compared to traditional routes through the Suez Canal.

Amid these developments, Saudi Arabia and Syria have also declared a $1 billion SilkLink initiative aimed at enhancing Syria's data infrastructure, positioning it as a crucial link between Asia and Europe. Both projects underscore a growing regional focus on improved connectivity and infrastructure resilience.