The Pearls branch, a strategic extension of the 45,000‑kilometer 2Africa network that was scheduled to enter service later this year, had been progressing under the direction of a consortium led by Meta Platforms alongside partners including Saudi Telecom Company’s Center3.

It was designed to land at points in Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan, India and Saudi Arabia as part of a broader effort to enhance connectivity between Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

According to people briefed on the project, Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), the French state‑owned contractor responsible for cable installation, has declared force majeure and ceased operations in the Persian Gulf region, citing unsafe conditions driven by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

A vessel used for the installation, Ile De Batz, is reported to be laid up near Dammam, Saudi Arabia, as work grinds to a halt. Although much of the submarine cable infrastructure has already been laid on the seafloor, several landing stations have yet to be connected due to the suspension of activity.

This development follows earlier challenges to the wider 2Africa project; less than six months ago, Meta acknowledged delays on another section of the network due to geopolitical tensions.

Industry analysts note that the pause highlights growing vulnerability of subsea infrastructure to geopolitical instability. Submarine cables carry the vast majority of international internet traffic, and disruptions or delays in their deployment can have far‑reaching impacts on regional connectivity, service quality and economic development.

For the consortium, the immediate priority will be monitoring security conditions and evaluating options to resume work once the operational environment stabilises. In the meantime, the broader aspirations of 2Africa, already the world’s largest subsea cable system by planned length, remain central to bridging digital divides across three continents.

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