Bahrain Joins Digital Superhighway : Seef Becomes Tech Gateway

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

• Cable lands near Seef
• Connectivity capacity boosted tenfold
• Supports Economic Vision 2030

Bahrain has officially joined the world’s elite digital infrastructure network following the landing of the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable system near Seef District on June 4, marking a transformative leap in global connectivity and digital capacity for the Kingdom.

Global Gateway

With an investment of US$205 million, the arrival of the world’s longest submarine cable places Bahrain at the centre of a digital superhighway stretching 45,000 kilometres. The cable’s high-speed data capacity is set to reinforce Bahrain’s position as a digital hub and significantly boost its potential to attract tech-driven investment, innovation, and high-skilled jobs.

The cable landing ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, and Khalid Al Osaimi, Chief Executive Officer of stc Bahrain. Officials confirmed the ground connection process was completed in record time.

Strategic Synergy

Dr. Shaikh Abdullah highlighted the move as a key milestone in achieving Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030. He stressed the importance of public-private partnerships, describing the collaboration with stc Bahrain as a model for how national goals can be accelerated through joint ventures.

“This project marks a qualitative leap that strengthens Bahrain’s global connectivity and supports its ambitions in the digital economy,” he said.

Al Osaimi noted that the new system would multiply the country’s existing connectivity by ten times. He said the move supports the Kingdom’s economic diversification agenda and elevates its status as a regional leader in the ICT sector.

Future-Proof Infrastructure

The 2Africa Pearls cable system is designed to support a massive 180 terabits per second, making it the only submarine cable in the GCC capable of meeting surging demand from data-heavy platforms like cloud computing, online gaming, and content streaming.

Its low latency and high bandwidth are also expected to accelerate the growth of emerging technologies such as 5G, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT), while delivering more reliable internet performance to consumers and businesses alike.

With this digital milestone, Bahrain is now positioned to serve as a crucial node in the global data exchange map.