Shafaq News – Basra

Iraq is positioning itself as a transit hub for global internet traffic with new subsea cables designed to route data between Southeast Asia and Europe through the Gulf, a data official said on Saturday.

“These projects are sovereign and will elevate Iraq’s role in the region,” Mohammed Helou, head of Basra’s Communications Directorate, told Shafaq News. “They can attract global firms to establish data centers here, bolstering sovereignty and digital security.”

Existing systems such as Falcon and GBI already connect India and Southeast Asia to Europe via the Gulf. Baghdad aims to build on that network to put Iraq at the center of regional data flows.

The largest initiative is Tawafrica, a 45,000-kilometer line described as the world’s longest subsea cable. It will stretch from Europe along Africa’s Atlantic coast, through the Horn of Africa to Southeast Asia, with a branch into Iraq. Construction is set to begin in late 2025, with operations expected the following year.

Other projects include the Fiber in Gulf system signed with Ooredoo in March, the North Gulf SMW cable and World Link to connect data centers. Together they are intended to expand capacity and reduce chronic connectivity delays.

Landing stations at Al-Faw Port will anchor the projects, allowing data to move across Iraq’s national grid and onward to Europe. Officials say the plan will cut latency and boost reliability for international carriers.

Read more: Internet in Iraq: Snail-speed service, high costs, and digital divide.

The pursuit of digital infrastructure alongside oil comes as Baghdad hopes to diversify its economy, attract foreign investment and establish a foothold on the global data map.