ABU DHABI, 5th October, 2026 (WAM) -- His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, today witnessed the launch of etisalat’s strategic project to develop and expand digital infrastructure capacity within the UAE and abroad, enhancing the country’s readiness for the increasing demands of AI and strengthening its position on the global digital stage.
His Highness, in his capacity as Chairman of the Emirates Investment Authority (EIA), the main shareholder in etisalat group, was briefed on the group’s plans and future projects to develop digital infrastructure crucial to meeting accelerated growth in AI technologies and the digital economy.
The project includes plans to expand international connectivity capacity to more than 500 terabits per second (Tbps) by 2030, an increase of over twenty-five times of the current capacity, in addition to developing diverse routes designed to enhance connectivity efficiency and reliability, delivering advanced, low-latency performance.
H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed emphasised the importance of investing in digital infrastructure as a fundamental pillar for supporting emerging technologies and enabling a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy.
H.H. also stressed the importance of coordinated national efforts and the role of national institutions in advancing the UAE's AI ambitions and digital economy.
He said: "The UAE continues to invest in building advanced digital infrastructure, guided by its vision for the future and its belief that readiness for what comes next starts with having the enablers that support economic growth, accelerate innovation and strengthen the country’s global competitiveness.
H.H. added: “AI is a central pillar in our development journey moving forward and developing our digital capabilities creates the ecosystem needed to harness its potential and ensure that every institution in this country, public and private, are empowered to build and innovate with AI, at the scale the coming decade will demand, with absolute confidence in the efficiency of the infrastructure beneath it.”
H.H. concluded that the UAE’s ambition extends beyond merely keeping pace with technological transformations. The country aspires to actively contribute to the creation and development of these technologies, noting that high-impact projects in digital infrastructure enhance the country’s readiness for the future and cement its position as a global hub for advanced technology and AI.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan also witnessed the launch of etisalat’s 50th anniversary celebrations, unveiling the group’s new vision to become a leading AI-powered and enabling telco as it steps forward under “etisalat” – the name trusted by its customers for fifty years.
This project is the group’s first major commitment under its new strategy, which is built around four business engines: telco, AI and business solutions, infrastructure, and fintech.
Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of etisalat group, said: “This project reflects our conviction that the UAE should not simply adopt AI, but govern it and build with it. That requires digital infrastructure at a scale that would prepare us for the future.”
He added: “Moving international connectivity from 20 terabits per second to more than 500 is a strategic step to address the growing challenges facing global data processing and data flow, particularly given the tremendous advancements in AI, and enhances the flexibility and reliability of the infrastructure to meet the requirements of UAE’s AI campuses, global cloud providers, and the group’s operations and customers across its markets.
Delivered through diversified routes and low-latency design, the project is set to keep the country’s connection to the global digital economy fast, direct and resilient, while ensuring the UAE’s digital sovereignty.”
He concluded: “This is the same commitment that has guided this group for fifty years. We marked that anniversary this week by setting out what the next era asks of us, and this project is our answer. In every generation of technology, etisalat has built the infrastructure the nation depends on, ensuring high flexibility and resiliency across all our markets. AI is the defining technology of this generation, and the principle has not changed.”
etisalat group operates across 38 countries and serves more than 250 million subscribers, giving the project reach well beyond the UAE and connecting national infrastructure directly to the global digital ecosystem.
The project also supports the UAE’s ambition to become a global hub for advanced technology and AI, reinforcing the nation’s digital competitiveness and enabling public and private institutions to deploy AI at scale with confidence in the infrastructure that carries it.