Meta suspends 2Africa Pearls undersea cable amid Red Sea and Persian Gulf hostilities
Here's what it means for you.
Delays in the 2Africa Pearls project could impact global internet connectivity and economic growth in emerging markets.
What happened
Alcatel Submarine Networks suspended the laying of Meta's 2Africa Pearls cable segments due to regional hostilities in the Persian Gulf and southern Red Sea.
The Context
- Ongoing challenges: The 2Africa system, initiated in 2021, aims to connect Africa, Europe, and Asia but has faced repeated delays, particularly in the Red Sea due to Houthi military actions.
- Economic implications: The project was projected to contribute $36.9 billion to Africa's GDP in its early years, a figure now at risk due to these delays.
- Alternative routes: Other cable projects are now considering costlier overland routes through Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to bypass the troubled Red Sea area.
The Number
kilometers is the total length of the 2Africa system, including the Pearls extension, highlighting the scale of this connectivity initiative and its significance for global data infrastructure.
Takeaway
With the suspension of the 2Africa Pearls project, expect further delays in connectivity upgrades that are crucial for economic growth in the region.
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Meta’s massive undersea cable project has been put on hold by regional hostilities – 2Africa Pearls project suffers another setback
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Sources: Meta has paused the Persian Gulf section of its 2Africa subsea cable project as the war in the Middle East freezes activity in the region (Bloomberg)
Meta Platforms Inc. has paused the Persian Gulf section of its 2Africa subsea cable project due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has frozen activity in the region.