An Iraqi minister reports that an agreement has been reached that will bolster the country’s communication capabilities.

Per a report in Iraq Business News, Iraq’s Minister of Communications, Dr. Hayam Al-Yasiri, announced an agreement with Qatar’s Ooredoo Group to lay undersea cables with a capacity of 500 terabits at the Al-Faw station.

The 24-pair cables will significantly boost Iraq’s international communication capacity by connecting to over 200 global undersea cables, from Oman through the Gulf and Al-Faw, extending to Europe. Al-Yasiri said the project will enhance Iraq’s geographic positioning as a key hub for international data traffic, and also serves as an alternative to the Suez Canal and is attractive to global investors. Ooredoo is the parent company of Iraqi mobile phone service Asiacell.