Iraq’s Ministry of Communications has signed a contract with Qatari telecommunications and information technology company Ooredoo to transit international internet and data capacity across Iraqi territory to Europe.

Minister of Communications Mustafa Sanad said the agreement marks an important step in Iraq’s efforts to transition from a consumer of data services into a regional transit hub connecting the Middle East with Europe. He added that the agreement is also expected to generate additional financial revenues for the country.

Khalid Hammadi, Head of Ooredoo Submarine Cable Systems, said the agreement reflects Iraq’s potential as a competitive global data transit corridor. He noted that routing data through Iraq would provide greater flexibility in managing international traffic and reduce reliance on certain maritime routes, particularly as global communications infrastructure faces increasing risks of outages and disruptions.