Elsewedy Data Centers inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Emirati Gulf Data Hub to develop Africa’s largest data centre complex in Egypt.
The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the World Government Summit, in Dubai, UAE.
The joint project aims at creating a $2.1bn data centres hub, by developing 3 world-class data centres complexes split between 3 different locations across the country, with a total storage capacity of 192 megawatts, and a total power load of 300 megawatts in 5-7 years.
The execution is planned to be through 4 stages. Each of the 3 avant-garde complexes will adopt Tier III standards – according to the Uptime Institute classification.
It aims to strengthen their bilateral cooperation in the field of information technology and digital infrastructure in the region.
The MoU was signed by Ahmed El Sewedy, Non-Executive Chairperson of Elsewedy Data Centers, and Tarek Mohammad Al Ashram, CEO and Founder of Gulf Data Hub.
It witnessed the presence of Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, UAE’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama, UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Hala El Said, Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Amr Talaat, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and Mariam Khalifa Al Kaabi – Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Egypt.
El Sewedy stated: “This project comes in line with Egypt’s digital transformation, securing investments in the field of information technology. The project shall position our nation as a data storage and transfer hub, linking the Western and the Eastern countries with Africa, while leveraging natural and human resources, like available energy sources, equipped lands, and highly trained labour.”
Abdel Rahman El Sewedy – CEO – of Elsewedy Data Centers, “Our investment with Gulf Data Hub is another milestone in our digital infrastructure expansion plan.”
Al-Ashram stated: “Elsewedy Data Centers and Gulf Data Hub’s joint venture aims at providing a global carrier-neutral data centre in Egypt and the Middle East, ensuring our regional long-standing leadership in storing entities’ sensitive data and mission-critical equipment, to enable our customers to focus on their core business through credible performance measures.”
Cooperation will also take place between the data centres and all telecom operators and internet service providers in Egypt, the data centres will also be connected to the other data centres owned and operated by GDH in KSA, UAE and the rest of their data centres globally to enhance their role as a connection point and a regional centre for data.
All data centres are green and will be licensed and certified by the LEED international organisation concerned with preserving the environment.
This project is expected to attract many private sector companies, banks, ministries, and local Egyptian government institutions, as well as many international companies.