A Strategic Partnership Driving Regional Connectivity

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia / Barcelona, Spain –Demonstrating clear momentum in one of the region’s most strategic connectivity initiatives, Etihad Salam Telecom (Salam) and AFR-IX Telecom, the developer and operator of the Medusa Submarine Cable System, confirmed  the progress of their strategic partnership through a bilateral discussion held during the Connected World 2025 event in Riyadh.

The parties confirmed that all aspects of the partnership between Salam and the Medusa Submarine Cable System are advancing on track, reinforcing both companies shared commitment to enhancing regional and global connectivity.

Under the partnership, Salam serves as the International Gateway Partner for the Medusa Submarine Cable to Saudi Arabia — providing terrestrial backhaul, interconnection, and capacity access to Hyperscalers, cloud providers, and regional carriers.

The collaboration strengthens Saudi Arabia’s role as a strategic digital centre between Europe, Africa, and Asia, positioning the Kingdom as a key node in the global data ecosystem and supporting Vision 2030 objectives for digital transformation and economic diversification.

“Our partnership with AFR-IX represents a major milestone in Salam’s mission to position Saudi Arabia as the regional hub for global connectivity,” said Eng. Amjad Arab, Chief Carriers and Wholesale Officer of Salam. “This collaboration reflects the tangible progress made on the services that we will provide through Medusa project and our shared vision to deliver resilient, high-capacity connectivity that empowers digital transformation across the region.”

Normand Albi, CEO of AFR-IX telecom and Medusa Africa Submarine Cable System said: “We are very pleased with the progress achieved through our partnership with Salam. Medusa is designed to redefine connectivity across the Mediterranean, and with Salam’s strong local presence and network capabilities, Saudi Arabia will become an essential gateway connecting Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The parties will continue to collaborate in their partnership, and ensure alignment with regional infrastructure priorities.

By combining Salam’s robust terrestrial and data-centre assets with AFR-IX’s subsea expertise, the partnership is set to deliver a new era of open, resilient, and high-capacity digital connectivity for the Kingdom and the wider Mediterranean region.