Egypt, AfDB ink €145 mln for railway

Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat signed a financing agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) on Sunday worth €145 million ($176 million) with the objective of improving the efficiency and safety of the Egyptian railway system.

Under the agreement, Egypt’s Railway Authority's main lines (Alexandria / Cairo / Assiut / Naga Hammadi and Benha / Port Said line) will be extended with 953 km controlled by the European Train Control System (ETCS-L1) to manage the course of the cars.

The agreement also provides an additional 100 wagons, using the ETCS.

This signing took place in the presence of Egypt’s Minister of Transportation Kamel El-Wazir, the Minister of Transportation, AfDB’s country manager in Egypt Malinne Bloomberg, and the railway authority officials; all alongside the working groups of both ministries.

The agreement encompasses the installment of the ETCS on old cars. The project covers the provision of 260 wagons, of which 110 were supplied and are eligible for the management system.