Weekly News Blast – 7th November 2024

Welcome to the GDCA Weekly News Blast! Check out the latest industry news from the GCC region below. Have any Middle East data centres news you’d like to share? Email yours to imogen@gulfdca.com with NEWS in the subject line.

Sponsor News

RED Engineering Design

RED’s Newcastle office wins two awards

Key figures from RED’s Newcastle office won two awards at the Northeast STEM Awards. Congratulations to the team for their incredible work in bringing vital STEM subjects and career inspiration to the forefront of discussion in the UK…Read more

Knight Frank

Knight Frank completed a record-breaking deal

Knight Frank has completed the successful sale of the iconic Emaar Square Building No.3 for AED 505mn. This sale underscores the strong demand for Grade A office space and the confidence investors have in this asset class, bringing Knight Frank MENA’s total office sales to over AED 1.5bn this year and over AED 5bn since the start of the year…Read more

Industry News

KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Batelco and Qareeb sign a MoU

As part of Beyon Group, Batelco has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Qareeb Data Centres to collaborate on the development of Bahrain’s first white space data centre hub. This partnership will explore a range of initiatives to support Beyon Group’s “Data Oasis” project, which aims to establish a leading data centre ecosystem in the Kingdom. The collaboration will include the provision of colocation services in Bahrain, along with the implementation of innovative data centre solutions across the region…Read more

Beyon Group unveils its new Digital City

Beyon Group has announced its plans for the 380,000-square-meter Beyon Digital City, a transformative mixed-use development designed to align with Bahrain’s national digitalisation goals. The project will integrate cutting-edge connectivity, technology, and real estate, establishing a new benchmark for smart cities in the region. It aims to attract both local and foreign investment, stimulate economic growth, and create jobs. Powered by advanced telecommunications infrastructure, the city will utilise IoT and AI for efficient urban management, offering enhanced digital services and adaptable smart technologies. Focused on sustainability, the project plans to achieve LEED certification, incorporate renewable energy, and implement smart transportation solutions like electric and autonomous vehicles, aiming to optimise mobility and minimise environmental impact…Read more

Saudi Arabia

Telecom Egypt and Mobily to land Saudi-Egypt subsea cable

Mobily and Telecom Egypt have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the first Saudi-owned subsea cable, which will connect Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The cable, fully owned by Mobily, is initially planned to have two landing points, with future connections to other subsea systems in Egypt and potential expansion options to routes leading to Europe. While Saudi Arabia has become an increasingly popular hub for subsea cables, with 17 currently landing in the Kingdom and more expected in the future, this marks the first cable fully owned by a Saudi entity to establish a direct connection between Saudi Arabia and Egypt…Read more

Oxagon in talks to build 1GW AI data centre

Oxagon, a floating industrial city being developed in Saudi Arabia’s Neom region, is in talks to build a 1GW AI data centre, with the first 400MW phase potentially signed this year. The data centre will be powered by renewable energy and backed by battery storage, with a focus on energy-efficient cooling. Neom is also working with companies like Goldwind and Envision Energy to set up production plants for solar and wind components…Read more

Oman

Ooredoo launches 10MW Sohar data centre in Oman

Qatari telecommunications giant Ooredoo has officially launched a state-of-the-art 10MW data centre in Sohar, Oman. Designed to Tier III standards, the facility is capable of housing up to 1,200 racks. This strategic development is a key part of Ooredoo’s commitment to supporting Oman’s Vision 2040 and underscores its dedication to ‘’driving innovation and fostering economic growth’’, according to Dr. Ahmed Abdullah A. Abri, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Ooredoo. The company, which currently operates 26 data centres across Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, and Tunisia, plans to significantly expand its regional footprint. Over the coming years, Ooredoo aims to increase its data centre capacity to more than 120MW, backed by a $1 billion investment in its medium- to long-term growth strategy…Read more