In order to land the J2M subsea cable system, which will link the Kingdom to Europe and the rest of the world via Pakistan and East Africa Cable System (PEACE), Zain KSA announced that it had signed an agreement with Emaar, The Economic City (EEC), the master developer of King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). In the initiative, the company states its strategic objectives, which include offering ultra-high-speed internet and increasing the diversity of its cross-border infrastructure. The deal was inked during Zain KSA's participation in LEAP2023, the second international technology event, which was held from February 6 to 9, 2023, at the Riyadh Front Expo Centre in the capital of the Kingdom under the theme "Into New Worlds. Eng. Saad bin Abdul Rahman Al-Sadhan, Chief Business and Wholesale Officer at Zain KSA; Mr. Fawaz Kilfaden, Chief Information and Smart City Officer at Emaar, The Economic City; and its CEO, Mr. Cyril Piaia, were present at the signing to represent the two sides.
Zain KSA CEO Eng. Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Deghaither spoke about this achievement and said, "King Abdullah Economic City's choice to land the subsea cable system (J2M) will boost the Kingdom's attractiveness to international companies and investments in cutting-edge technologies with a focus on accelerating nationwide digital transformation, strengthening its connection to the world, and cementing its position on the global communications map, thereby supporting the realization of the Kingdom's vision."
The undersea cable system (J2M), he continued, will extend beyond the borders of the Kingdom to the surrounding area and beyond. With the aid of cutting-edge technology, high-end innovations, and cutting-edge infrastructure, this will strengthen Zain KSA's position as a crucial enabler in the development of a robust ICT sector on a global scale. The Chairman of the Board of Emaar, The Economic City, Mr. Fahad Al-Saif, commented on the signing, saying: "Our landmark deal with Zain KSA symbolizes our city's capacity to promote technology development and implement innovative initiatives within Saudi Arabia. In addition to its successful operations in other developing industries, KAEC's hosting of the historic underwater cable will help position the city as a data hub center. Our partnership with Zain immediately advances the goal of Vision 2030 to expand and diversify the Kingdom's economy by aiding in the development of a submarine cable infrastructure to serve the area in the global economy.
Zain KSA is taking part in this international event for the second time because it is committed to supporting local content and new initiatives in the Saudi ICT sector. This is to keep up with the efforts of the event's organizers, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones (SAFCSP), who are also participating in the event.
