RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications company, Mobily, has entered into a cooperation agreement with Telecom Egypt to establish the first Saudi-owned subsea cable connecting the two nations across the Red Sea. The agreement includes the installation of the subsea cable, which will be fully owned by Mobily, with landing stations in Duba, Saudi Arabia, and Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, as stated by Mobily on X. This cable will serve as a link between Asia and Africa, creating a route to Europe by connecting Saudi Arabia with Egypt. It will enhance connectivity options for Gulf countries and neighboring regions through Mobily’s digital network, integrating with Egyptian landing stations in the Mediterranean. Additionally, it will provide new routes to improve service reliability and meet customer needs within the Kingdom and beyond. “The new cable represents a significant milestone in strengthening Saudi Arabia"s position as a leading international hub for telecommunications services and data traffic, in alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030,” said Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Badran, CEO of Mobily. He added: “The signing of the agreement underscores our commitment to expanding our infrastructure and enhancing our capabilities both regionally and internationally, as Mobily’s new cable will connect Saudi Arabia to Egypt and improve communication flexibility between the Middle East and Europe.” This agreement aligns with Mobily’s strategy to bolster its infrastructure and network capabilities. Building on its previous investments in subsea cables that connect global regions, the new cable will expand Mobily’s international reach and capacity. “Complementing the newly established landing station in Sharm El-Sheikh, we are developing new crossing routes to connect Sharm El-Sheikh to the Mediterranean Sea,” stated Mohamed Nasr, managing director and CEO of Telecom Egypt. He further said: “We are confident that this commercial agreement will be a valuable addition to our ongoing efforts to support this critical sector and cater to the rising demand for capacity and connectivity.” By increasing capacity and expanding its global reach through new collaborations, Mobily is dedicated to enhancing its subsea network infrastructure both domestically and internationally. “I am pleased with our cooperation with Telecom Egypt, which will enable us to offer the best services to all our customers around the world,” Al-Badran noted. “Telecom Egypt is dedicated to advancing the international telecommunications infrastructure by enhancing the geographical diversity of the global subsea cable networks,” Nasr added. This commitment aims to provide cutting-edge digital solutions to customers and support the sustainable growth of the Kingdom’s ICT sector through advanced infrastructure.