Egypt and Jordan Launch First Direct Subsea Cable in 25 Years with Coral Bridge Landing in Aqaba
Egypt and Jordan marked a new milestone in regional digital connectivity with the successful landing of Coral Bridge, a high-capacity subsea cable directly linking the two countries for the first time in more than 25 years. The cable landed this week at Aqaba Digital Hub’s (ADH) global data center in Jordan, following its arrival in Taba, Egypt, two days earlier.
The landing ceremony was attended virtually by Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) Amr Talaat and Jordan’s Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Sami Smeirat. Also present were Telecom Egypt’s CEO Mohamed Nasr, alongside senior Jordanian officials including Naval Force Commander Hisham Al-Jarrah, ASEZA Chairman Shadi Al Majali, ADH CEO Eyad Abu Khorma, and Aqaba Development Corporation CEO Hussein Safadi.
A Strategic Digital Corridor
Stretching 15 kilometers across the Gulf of Aqaba, Coral Bridge offers a direct, high-speed digital link supported by advanced optical fiber technology. Designed to international technical and environmental standards, the system will significantly reduce latency and costs while boosting international data transfer capacity.
The cable provides a critical corridor for regional and global data traffic, meeting rising demand driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications and the rapid growth of data centers. It also ensures network resilience by offering alternative routes and backup connections across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Egypt–Jordan Cooperation
Minister Talaat highlighted the project as “a new bridge of cooperation” between Egypt and Jordan, adding that it is the first and fastest outcome of the discussions held during the recent Egypt–Jordan Joint Higher Committee in Amman. He reiterated Egypt’s commitment to expanding subsea cable infrastructure, diversifying terrestrial routes, and enhancing its role as a global digital gateway.
Minister Smeirat underscored Coral Bridge’s significance as the first subsea cable to land in Aqaba in 25 years, describing it as both a technological achievement and a symbol of the historic relations between Egypt and Jordan. He emphasized that the project provides Jordan with a direct digital gateway to Africa and beyond, while enhancing Telecom Egypt’s global reach.
Industry Impact
Telecom Egypt CEO Mohamed Nasr said the proximity between Taba and Aqaba provided a unique opportunity to establish a vital corridor for Middle East–Europe telecom traffic. He noted that through Telecom Egypt’s partnership with NaiTel, and leveraging ADH’s neutral ecosystem, Coral Bridge will enable the seamless flow of massive regional data volumes into Egypt’s subsea network infrastructure.
ADH Founder and CEO Eyad Abu Khorma hailed the project as a defining moment for Jordan’s digital economy, positioning Aqaba as a regional data hub directly connected to Egypt’s extensive subsea cable ecosystem. He stressed that Coral Bridge is “not merely a cable, but a strategic step toward building a stronger, more resilient digital economy.”
Looking Ahead
Coral Bridge stems from the January 2024 cooperation agreement between Telecom Egypt—the region’s leading subsea cable operator—and NaiTel, the licensed telecom provider and ADH’s telecom arm in Jordan. Its deployment further strengthens both countries’ positions as strategic digital gateways across three continents.
???? Source: Aqaba Digital Hub