Meta-led consortium pauses 2Africa Pearls subsea cable work due to Middle East conflict

A consortium led by Meta Platforms, including Saudi Telecom Company’s Center3, has paused work on the Pearls branch of the 2Africa subsea cable network. Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), the French state-owned contractor, declared force majeure and ceased operations in the Persian Gulf region, citing unsafe conditions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict. The Pearls branch, a 45,000-kilometer extension of the 2Africa network, was designed to enhance connectivity between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, with landings planned in Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan, India, and Saudi Arabia. Although much of the submarine cable infrastructure has been laid, several landing stations remain unconnected due to the suspension of activity, highlighting the vulnerability of critical subsea infrastructure to geopolitical instability.

Counterparts (3)

supplier

A

Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN)

company

Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) is a global leader in the design, manufacture, deployment, and maintenance of optical submarine cable systems. A subsidiary of Nokia, it has deployed over 750,000 km of cables worldwide and is headquartered in Nozay, France.

Developer

Meta Platforms

company

Meta Platforms is a global technology company focused on building technologies that help people connect. Its infrastructure strategy is primarily driven by the massive energy and data demands of its global data centers, leading to significant investments in renewable energy procurement (PPAs) and the development of large-scale data center campuses worldwide to support its operations.

Partner

Center3 (Saudi Telecom Company)

company

Center3, a subsidiary of STC Group, is a Saudi Arabian digital infrastructure company established in 2022. It operates 6 data centers and 17 submarine cables, providing international connectivity and carrier-neutral services across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe.