Cisco, a global leader in networking and security, recently announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to join the Stargate UAE consortium as a preferred technology partner.

The strategic MoU, signed by Cisco’s Chair and Chief Executive Officer Chuck Robbins together with other consortium partners, G42, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA and SoftBank Group, envisions the construction of an AI data center in Abu Dhabi with a target capacity of 1 GW, with an initial 200 MW capacity to be delivered in 2026.

As a partner in this initiative, Cisco will provide advanced networking, security and observability solutions to accelerate the deployment of next-generation AI compute clusters.

“With the right infrastructure in place, AI can transform data into insights that empower every organization to innovate faster, tackle complex challenges, and deliver tangible outcomes,” explained Chuck Robbins, Cisco Chair and CEO. “Cisco is proud to join this consortium to harness the power of AI and deliver the infrastructure that will enable tomorrow’s breakthroughs.”

This announcement follows Robbins’ recent visit to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE where Cisco announced a series of strategic initiatives across all phases of the AI transformation in the region. These new initiatives employ Cisco’s trusted technology across the region’s AI infrastructure buildouts, leveraging the company’s deep expertise in networking and security together with longstanding regional partnerships.

The company asserted that by fostering the development of secure, AI-powered digital infrastructure and collaborating with key Cisco partners, it is well positioned to deliver world-class, trusted technology to the region.