Silk Link: Site Studies Done, Excavation Due Soon

Syria's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdulsalam Haykal, reaffirmed that Saudi company stc won the Silk Link project with an investment commitment of $1 billion. He announced that studies of the project sites are complete and that preparations are under way to begin excavation soon, in an interview with CNBC Arabia published on Saturday, 7 November 2026.

Implementation Update

The minister said the first results of the project are expected to appear about 18 months after implementation begins. The 18-month period refers to the first results following the start of work, and does not mean the project will be complete in all its phases.

Background to the Award

stc's win was first announced on 7 February, at a ceremony announcing Syrian-Saudi contracts in Damascus. Syrian state outlet Al-Ikhbariya Al-Souriya reported the minister as saying at the time that 18 companies had applied to invest in the project and that stc won after the bids were evaluated. The $1 billion investment value was also reported in coverage of the signing of the project launch agreement in February.

Project Objectives

Silk Link aims to develop digital infrastructure and to use Syria's location as an international corridor for data transmission between Europe and Asia. At the earlier announcement, the minister said that, by his estimate, the Syrian route is 25 to 30% shorter than current routes between the two continents.

Regional Connectivity

In the latest interview, the minister explained that the project will strengthen regional connectivity via Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Sea, which he said would diversify connection routes, improve network efficiency and speed of response. He stated that its implementation is independent of other investments earmarked for improving existing networks and sites.