Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat met on Saturday with Jordan's Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Sami Smeirat and South Sinai Governor Khaled Mubarak, via video conference, to witness the landing of the high-capacity Coral Bridge submarine cable system in Taba, Egypt. The Coral Bridge is the first direct submarine cable connecting Egypt and Jordan in more than 25 years, providing a high-speed link supported by a large number of optical fiber strands running through the Gulf of Aqaba. Officials described the project as a pivotal step in strengthening digital infrastructure across the Middle East. It also marks the first submarine communications system to be landed at the Taba landing station, one of several new digital infrastructure points developed by Telecom Egypt in the Sinai Peninsula. In the coming days, the cable will also be landed in Aqaba, Jordan, at the Global Aqaba Digital City Data Center. Once operational, it will ensure service continuity by providing alternative routes and backup connectivity for major corporations and cloud service providers hosted at the data centre. Spanning 15 kilometres, the system is designed with high-capacity optical fibres to accommodate the rapid growth of international data traffic, particularly from artificial intelligence applications and data centres. Its short length enhances transmission speed and reduces costs, further boosting competitiveness. Minister Talaat described Coral Bridge as a significant addition to the network of Arab submarine cables, underscoring its importance for Egypt-Jordan cooperation in the ICT sector. He noted that it is the first submarine system to be landed in Sinai, part of a wider strategy to diversify Egypt's international infrastructure by building new landing stations and terrestrial routes linking the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. He highlighted ongoing plans to expand Egypt's submarine cable network in Sinai, providing closer access points for neighbouring countries, improving regional connectivity, and increasing the efficiency of global data transmission. More than 90% of internet traffic between East and West currently passes through Egypt, which today hosts 15 submarine cable systems with around 11 landing stations. Jordan's Minister Sami Smeirat said the project is a practical embodiment of Egyptian-Jordanian cooperation, following the 33rd session of the Egyptian-Jordanian Higher Committee held last week in Amman. He emphasised that Coral Bridge will serve as a new digital gateway for Jordan, helping position both countries as regional—and even global—hubs for data transmission. He also extended an invitation to Talaat to visit Jordan for further discussions on deepening ICT collaboration. Developed according to the highest technical and environmental standards, the Coral Bridge was launched under a January 2024 cooperation agreement between Telecom Egypt and Jordan's Naitel, the telecom arm of Aqaba Digital City. The project reflects the growing importance of cross-border digital partnerships in driving sustainable growth, enhancing regional connectivity, and paving the way for future infrastructure projects across the Middle East and beyond.
