The middle east is a thriving economy. Many still consider it ‘emerging’ but for those who work closely with organisations that operate there, it’s obvious that the market has already emerged. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in particular is performing strongly, predicted to buck the volatile growth and recession see-saw experienced by other economies by delivering overall growth.
With the region becoming a key player on the world stage, industries there are witnessing increases in investment. Sustaining this uptick, however, is reliant on having the connectivity infrastructure in place to support new ways of living and working.
Connectivity is a critical enabler of growth. Providing the foundations for societies to communicate, engage and innovate, people expect to be able to access digital experiences. And, as the rest of the world takes even more interest in the middle east, that demand for connectivity there will only increase.
Big brands laying foundations
Some of the world’s most recognised brands have already seen the huge growth potential and are laying their own foundations.
In June 2023, Google announced a partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Technology (MCIT) to launch Google Cloud in the country, a move which is expected to generate £14.94bn in gross economic output by 2030.
While hyperscaler investment makes other organisations sit up and take notice, ensuring they have the infrastructure required to operate is the result of collaboration between existing local and international providers.
Establishing connectivity in a region takes more than just flicking a switch. It’s the consequence of a series of relationships between providers of submarine and terrestrial cables, operators of cable landing stations, regional mobile and fibre networks, data centres, and many other parties. It’s impressive then that the region already has the infrastructure to attract and support hyperscaler activity.
Operators understood what would be required and have been investing heavily to ensure networks are suitable for current and future connectivity demands. In fact, the middle east possesses some of the global leaders in 5G.
Doing business in the middle east
Many nations – including Qatar – have ambitious National Visions in place which are built around digitally driven societies. This means an even greater hunger for connectivity and digital capabilities, and that new investment will flow in from all sides.
There is a clear opportunity for organisations to invest in the region, but it is unique in that so many cultures are packed into a relatively small space. That means doing business there requires partnering with organisations that can not only help to address the unique geo-political landscape, but also has the relationships and infrastructure to ensure continued growth.
To gauge the relationships a provider possesses, a simple method is to check where it has other operations and agreements. For example, if it has points of presence (PoP) in multiple nations around the region, not only can this provide a doorway into other economies, but it will inspire confidence that the partner can traverse the geo-political landscape successfully.
Ensuring business continuity is a top priority, so it’s critical that partners provide assurances around uptime. Check to see what protection initiatives they have in place, which should include 24/7 network operations and swap arrangements with other cable providers.
The best mitigation against downtime, however, is having diversity in routes. Partner with providers who can route traffic another way should something happen to the original pathway. This is of particular importance if a provider’s sole route between the region and Europe is via Egypt. That traditional route carries a large number of cables and, thus, a substantial proportion of the world’s internet traffic, meaning it’s a vulnerable choke point. Having diversity in routes provides options.
Ultimately, the middle east should no longer be seen as an emerging market, it’s very much already here. Already experiencing sizeable growth, its nations have ambitious plans that will be supported by superfast and robust connectivity. With such an opportunity, organisations should be seriously considering how they can access the markets, but they have to keep in mind that the region’s uniqueness requires a partner with the experience to navigate it.
