Qatar and Kuwait to back Gulf web project

Qatar and Kuwait have thrown money behind an ambitious project to build a new Gulf internet cable network, to help combat the growing risk of cyber-sabotage in a politically tense region that has already seen some high-profile attacks.

The new fiber optic network – set to go live next week – passes through Iraq and Turkey in an effort to give Gulf telecoms operators an alternative web traffic route to Europe, reducing the risk of connection disruptions. The system, part-financed by the sovereign wealth funds of Qatar and Kuwait, is part of a broader plan by Gulf telecom operators to account for booming demand for the web while at the same time bolstering their defenses against sabotage or unintended damage. There is also the danger that cables running through the Strait of Hormuz could be vulnerable to any escalation of tension with Iran.