Meta has suspended progress on a segment of its ambitious 2Africa subsea cable project, citing the ongoing war in the Middle East as the primary obstacle. The conflict, which has escalated following US-Israel military strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory attacks, has severely disrupted operations in the region.
The 2Africa subsea cable, spanning 45,000 kilometers (28,000 miles), is one of the most extensive infrastructure projects of its kind. While the core of the cable was completed late last year, work on a key section passing through the Strait of Hormuz was scheduled for this year. The strait, a critical maritime route bordered by Iran, has become increasingly hazardous due to the conflict. According to reports, Iran has effectively closed the passage, targeting ships with drones and missiles.
The cable installation company, Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), has issued force majeure notices to its customers as the situation worsens. The company’s cable-laying vessel, Ile De Batz, is currently stationed at a port in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, waiting for hostilities to subside before resuming operations.
This is not the first delay the project has faced. Just four months ago, work on the Red Sea portion of the cable was deferred due to Houthi attacks on ships. Additionally, other cables in the region have suffered damage, including incidents where missile strikes caused a cargo ship’s anchor to sever connections.
The delays to the 2Africa project come at a time when other subsea cable initiatives, such as the Sea-Me-We 6 project, are also being affected by the conflict in the region.
Once completed, the 2Africa cable will connect landing stations in Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan, India, and Saudi Arabia. However, with tensions showing no immediate signs of easing, the timeline for completing the section in the Strait of Hormuz remains unclear.
The ongoing conflict underscores the significant challenges facing infrastructure projects that traverse geopolitically sensitive areas. As the situation develops, the progress of the 2Africa subsea cable remains uncertain, with broader implications for global connectivity in the affected regions.
