Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Mobily and Telecom Egypt announce the signing of an agreement to lay the first subsea cable connecting Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the companies revealed in a joint statement on Monday.

The new cable will link the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt with the Saudi city of Duba. Egypt currently hosts landing points for 18 subsea cables, while Saudi Arabia has 20.

This new cable aims to enhance communication speeds and efficiency between the two countries and improve the flexibility of internet traffic between Europe and the Middle East. Several telecom companies are pursuing projects to connect Africa, Europe, and Asia. Earlier this year, in January, Telecom Egypt and Zain Omantel International, based in Muscat, unveiled plans to create a ‘digital corridor’ linking the Mediterranean, the Arabian Sea, and the Arabian Gulf, offering increased connectivity options between India and Europe.