Ooredoo and du to Land 720 Tbps FIG Subsea Cable in the UAE

Qatari telco Ooredoo Group and Dubai-based du plan to land the Fibre in the Gulf (FIG) subsea cable in the emirates, Semafor reported. The deal was announced on May 11, 2026, one day after UAE and Qatari officials met in Abu Dhabi on May 10, 2026 to discuss greater cooperation.

” The Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company are also considering potential collaboration.

The 720-terabit-per-second FIG network will be the region’s largest subsea cable system. It will link to Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. The FIG network adds a physical dimension to improving economic ties alongside the Dolphin natural gas pipeline.

Gulf countries are driving to expand their data connectivity to become an essential node in global networks. That ambition has not yet been dented by the Iran war. Tehran has warned that it might target cables through the Strait of Hormuz.

The announcement reflects a tangible step in thawing relations between the UAE and Qatar after years of tension. The timing, coming immediately after the Abu Dhabi meeting, underscores how digital infrastructure is now central to Gulf economic diplomacy. By choosing to land the cable in the emirates, Ooredoo and du are physically stitching together data routes that mirror existing energy links.

The Dolphin pipeline already carries Qatari natural gas to the UAE; the FIG cable will carry data at 720 terabits per second in the opposite direction of influence. The project’s scale sets it apart. Once complete, the FIG network will surpass all other subsea systems in the Gulf in both capacity and geographic reach, connecting six countries in a single high-speed loop.

Regional governments have poured resources into such connectivity precisely because they see data as strategic infrastructure. Becoming an essential node in global networks would allow Gulf financial centers and cloud providers to compete with traditional hubs in Europe and Asia. Despite the shadow of conflict, that strategic goal remains intact.

Even after Tehran’s warnings about possible targeting of cables in the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE and Qatar have moved forward with the FIG landing agreement. 0 illustrates the dense web of existing routes that the new system will join. Semafor published its report on the developments on May 12, 2026 at 7:59am EDT.