(L-R) Ronan Byrne, GÉANT Board member and CEO, HEAnet, Ursula von der Leyen, President, European Commission, Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, László Blénessy, Deputy CEO, 4iG. Photo by 4iG Group.
Joint Declaration Signed to Strengthen Digital Networks and Subsea Connectivity in the Western Balkans
At last week’s EU–Western Balkans Investment Forum in Tirana, the European Commission, GÉANT, and 4iG Group signed a joint declaration reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing secure, high-capacity digital infrastructure across the Western Balkans. Ronan Byrne, GÉANT Board member and CEO of HEAnet, had the honour of representing GÉANT at the event.
Central to this declaration is the EAGLE (Egypt–Albania Gateway Link to Europe) submarine data cable and a newly announced terrestrial digital backbone. Together, these projects will create a new digital corridor linking the Western Balkans with Europe’s major data hubs, enhancing connectivity, supporting research and education networks, and enabling innovation across the region.
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST) has recognised EAGLE as a flagship project under the Digital Decade 2030, Global Gateway Strategy, and Western Balkans Growth Plan. The planned backbone network will strengthen the region’s digital resilience, reduce connectivity costs, and foster opportunities for artificial intelligence, startups, and academia, in full alignment with the EU 5G Cybersecurity Toolbox.
(L- R) Ronan Byrne, GÉANT Board Member and CEO, HEAnet, Valentia Superti, Director for the Western Balkans in DG ENERT, László Blénessy, Deputy CEO, 4iG Photo by 4iG Group.
Ronan Byrne, GÉANT Board member and CEO of HEAnet, highlighted the strategic importance of the initiative:
“The Western Balkans are at a pivotal juncture in their digital transformation journey. A growing foundation of research and education networks, emerging high-performance computing capacity, and a dynamic innovation ecosystem are positioning the region to play a vital role in Europe’s digital future. GÉANT welcomes and endorses the European Commission’s intent to advance the Western Balkans Digital Backbone initiative — a crucial step toward full integration into the pan-European GÉANT network.”
Ronan Byrne, GÉANT Board member and CEO, HEAnet and Ursula von der Leyen, President, European Commission. Photo by the European Commission.
The EAGLE system, developed by 4iG Group and Telecom Egypt, will establish a high-capacity, low-latency data route across the Mediterranean, entering Europe through Albania and Italy before extending via a terrestrial optical backbone to key European data hubs including Sofia, Vienna, and Frankfurt.
The 2,000-kilometre subsea system is expected to become operational by 2028, providing route diversity and network redundancy to enhance resilience and reinforce Europe’s digital sovereignty.
By bridging one of Europe’s least connected regions, this investment will unlock new opportunities for research, education, and digital innovation, a vision strongly supported by HEAnet, GÉANT and its European partners.
Read more about this initiative on GÉANT’s website: https://connect.geant.org/2025/10/15/european-commission-geant-and-4ig-group-sign-a-joint-declaration-supporting-digital-infrastructure-and-subsea-cable-initiatives-in-the-western-balkans
