Jordan emerges as new regional digital passage

• Major Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Thursday to extend the GreenMed submarine cable system through Jordan.
• The agreement brings together Italy’s Sparkle, Jordan’s Naitel (the telecom arm of Aqaba Digital City), and iElephant to build a new international data corridor.
• The project is part of the European Commission’s "Connecting Europe Facility," aimed at bolstering cross-border digital infrastructure.

In a move that solidifies Jordan’s role as a pivotal link in the global economy, Jordan has joined the GreenMed submarine cable project.

Announced in Aqaba on Thursday, this strategic initiative creates a new high-speed digital corridor parallel to existing routes, connecting the Mediterranean markets directly to Asia via Jordanian territory.

The project will integrate the GreenMed submarine system with Jordan’s terrestrial fiber-optic networks and regional interconnection platforms.

This synergy aims to create secure, resilient, and diverse data paths, reducing global reliance on traditional transit points and enhancing the stability of the internet across the Middle East and East Mediterranean.

Aqaba, digital gateway

Jordan’s Aqaba Digital City has already established itself as a landing station for the prestigious BlueMed and Blue-Raman cable systems.

This new agreement further integrates Jordan into the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), positioning the Kingdom as a primary gateway for intercontinental data traffic.

Eng. Eyad Abu Khorma, Founder and CEO of Aqaba Digital City, emphasized the significance of the deal:

"Jordan possesses a unique strategic location that qualifies it to be a major hub for data movement and digital connectivity. This international cooperation reflects growing confidence in Jordan’s digital infrastructure and our ability to play a central role in global connectivity projects."

Strengthening regional resilience

For Sparkle, Italy's leading international service provider, the expansion into Jordan represents a critical step in the GreenMed roadmap.

CEO Enrico Bagnasco noted that connecting strategic digital structures through Jordan opens "new horizons for growth in the Mediterranean region and beyond."

The GreenMed system is designed to provide:

• Enhanced latency: Faster data transmission between European financial hubs and Asian markets.
• Diversity: A reliable alternative to existing maritime routes in the Red Sea.
• Economic growth: Support for Jordan's burgeoning tech sector and digital economy.

European connection

The project’s inclusion in the European Commission's funding programs highlights its importance to international trade.

By supporting investments in cross-border transport, energy, and digital services, the EU is effectively betting on Jordan as the "stabilizing bridge" for digital communications between the West and the East.