Baghdad: An Iraqi and United Arab Emirates consortium has unveiled plans to build a 700 million dollar high speed data cable network designed to carry internet traffic from the Gulf to Europe through Iraq and Turkey.
The project, known as WorldLink, aims to create a faster and more reliable digital route connecting Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The system will include a subsea cable running from Fujairah in the UAE to Iraq’s Faw peninsula, before continuing overland across Iraq to the Turkish border.
The network will be privately funded and developed in phases over the next five years. The initiative is backed by Iraqi telecom and technology firms along with UAE investors.
Supporters say the cable will offer a shorter and less congested route for global data traffic compared with traditional pathways that pass through heavily used corridors such as the Suez Canal region. By diversifying routes, the system is expected to improve internet stability and reduce the risk of disruptions.
The project also comes as demand for faster connectivity grows due to the expansion of cloud computing, artificial intelligence services and data centers across the Middle East and beyond.
Iraq hopes the project will strengthen its role as a regional transit hub and complement its broader Development Road corridor, a major transport and logistics initiative linking the Gulf to Turkey and Europe.
The WorldLink plan emerges amid growing regional competition to host key digital infrastructure. New fibre and cable projects across the Middle East aim to position the region as a critical bridge for global data flows between Asia and Europe.
Recent cable disruptions and rising global data demand have highlighted the need for multiple secure routes, encouraging governments and private investors to accelerate connectivity projects.
If completed as planned, the new network could enhance regional connectivity, support economic growth and strengthen the Middle East’s role in the global digital economy.