伊拉克—阿联酋联合体计划投资7亿美元建设高速数据电缆网络

Core Viewpoint - A joint venture between Iraq and the UAE plans to invest $700 million in constructing a subsea and land data cable connecting the UAE, passing through Iraq to Turkey, amidst regional competition for network connectivity and data center investments [1][4]. Group 1: Project Details - The project, named "WorldLink," will lay a subsea cable from Fujairah in the UAE to the Al-Faw Peninsula in Iraq, extending overland to the Turkish border [2][5]. - The project is funded by private capital and is expected to take 4 to 5 years to complete, targeting major cloud service providers, international operators, and AI applications as its customer base [2][5]. - The initiative aims to alleviate congestion in existing east-west data routes and reduce transmission delays compared to routes passing through the Suez Canal [2][5]. Group 2: Regional Context - This is the second such project planned in the region, following a Saudi-supported fiber optic project announced in Syria, which is part of a larger $1 billion investment to restore Syrian infrastructure and establish it as a data corridor between Asia and Europe [3][6]. - The investment group for the "WorldLink" project includes Tech 964, DIL Technology from the Kurdish region of Iraq, and Breeze Investment from the UAE [3][6]. - Iraq is striving to position itself as a stable transit route after decades of conflict, having launched a $17 billion "Development Road" plan in 2023 to connect the Al-Faw port with Turkey [3][6].