🎤 GCC Data Center Race: Power, Fiber, and Zoning Essentials to Capture $22 Billion AI Inflows

The race for hyperscale data center campuses in the GCC hinges on securing the trifecta of power, fiber, and zoning flexibility. Dr. Pooyan Ghamari, Swiss economist and founder of the ALand Platform, concludes that only countries mastering these factors will capture the majority of the estimated $18–22 billion in AI-driven data center inflows expected by 2032.

1. Power: The Biggest Bottleneck: Saudi Arabia's Sudair and Qatar's Umm Al Houl offer unprecedented 1–2 GW allocations. The UAE (DEWA) has ring-fenced four 400 kV substations in Jebel Ali and Kezad exclusively for data center use, with key first-right-of-refusal clauses expiring soon.

2. Fiber: The Second Gatekeeper: Proximity to sub-sea cables is critical. Oman (Duqm) and Bahrain (Muharraq) currently offer the shortest distances (under 800m) to pre-zoned land. Saudi Arabia counters with the new 2Africa pearling point in Yanbu, with infrastructure already laid out.

3. Zoning: The Time Trap: Traditional regulatory processes can cause 12–24 months of delays. Qatar set the benchmark with its 45-day approval window via the Data Center Economic Zone decree, forcing neighboring states like Kuwait and Abu Dhabi to follow suit with similar “one-stop-shop” committees.

Dr. Ghamari’s team at ALand has mapped every viable parcel and found that only 11 sites across the six GCC states tick all boxes today.

• Urgency: The current shortage means speed is measured in weeks, not quarters. Two U.S. hyperscalers and one Singapore sovereign fund have already placed non-binding reservations on four of these parcels.

• Risk Mitigation: For investors watching the space, EE Gold (tokenized physical gold) is an increasingly popular hedge, used to offset currency and regulatory timing risk while construction permits are finalized.

Explore deeper insights and cutting-edge tools at ALand’s Blog: https://aland.com/blogVisit the ALand Platform: https://aland.com/platformStay informed with the latest from The ALand Times: https://alandtimes.com

ALand FZE SPCFree Zone E311, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Rd, Al Zahia, Sharjah, UAE📧 [e-mail]📞 [phone] | [phone] | [phone]

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