Consortium inks MoU to develop new data hub at King Abdullah Economic City: Damac Group subsidiary Edgnex, KSA’s Integrated Telecom Company (Salam), terrestrial and submarine fiber optics provider Cinturion, and Emaar subsidiary Emaar the Economic City (EEC) will develop a data center and cable landing stations at King Abdullah Economic City under a new MoU, according to a press release. The consortium will explore initiatives on an international submarine cable project, data centers, fiber infrastructure, and cloud and internet, according to the statement, which did not disclose the timelines or investments concerned.

What they said: “We are not just building world-class data centers, we are aiming to create and innovate hyper-connected digital hubs with highly secure facilities and connectivity to give customers direct and reliable access to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s digital economy,” said Senior Vice President at DAMAC Group Aqil Jaffer Ali in a press release.

Background: KAEC is one of four new special economic zones (SEZs) launched in the Kingdom in April. The 185-square-kilometer zone is located a short distance north of Jeddah on Saudi’s Arabia’s Red Sea coast. The freezone is pegged to King Abdullah Port — highlighted by the World Bank as the world’s most efficient container port in 2021 — and KAEC Industrial valley, which is geared towards logistics and light manufacturing. Upwards of 100 companies engaged in a range of activities including advanced logistics, automotives, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, packaging, and building materials manufacturing have made the move to KAEC, according to DAMAC’s statement.

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