State-run Ikhbariya reported that Syria's Ministry of Telecommunications has signed an accord with Medusa Submarine Cable System in Barcelona for the landing the first international cable into the country.

According to the website of Medusa, the submarine cable system will connect 12 countries in North Africa and Southern Europe. The submarine cable system will also act as a link between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, and the Red Sea.

Syria's infrastructure is suffering from poor internet connectivity after 14 years of civil conflict and decades of Western sanctions. Users are forced to use expensive mobile data rather than a wireless connection in order to complete basic online tasks.

After the overthrow of Bashar al Assad in December, Syria's new leaders aim to improve public services rapidly.

In June, a senior Syrian official, along with a second official, said that the government had been in discussions with regional telecoms firms Zain, Etisalat STC, and Ooredoo about implementing a $300 million project to build Syria's fiber-optic communication network.

(source: Reuters)