Egypt’s future as internet cable hub at risk from proposed Google fiber optic network
Google intends to build a new corridor for internet traffic via a fiber optic network for the first time between Israel and Saudi Arabia, linking Asia to Europe, which is seen as a threat to Egypt's future as a major transit point for international submarine cables.
Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) decided Dec. 5 to prevent media presenter Osama Kamal from appearing on his own TV program “90 Minutes,” on Al-Mehwar satellite channel for two weeks. The TV channel was also fined 100,000 Egyptian pounds (roughly $6,400). The decision comes following the program’s episode during which Kamal accused Egyptian officials of corruption and held them responsible for making Egypt lose its position as a strategic central transit point for international submarine communications cables, to the benefit of Saudi Arabia and Israel.
The "90 Minutes" program continued without Kamal.
