Egypt to establish logistic area on its border with Libya to improve bilateral trade

Egypt is to establish a ‘‘logistic area’’ at its Al-Salloum land border crossing with Libya. The news was revealed by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Sisi during a tour he conducted Wednesday of the north-western Marsa Matrouh Governorate.

The logistic area is part of a wider plan to develop the Salloum land border crossing with Libya by establishing a 250-300-acres linkage area (about one million square meters) next to the Salloum port to improve and enhance trade movement with Libya.

The plan includes developing the port for transportation, a separate emergency border crossing path for ambulances, and a crossing with security screening devices, in addition to an express train that will reach the city of Salloum.

Speaking to a gathered audience from the governate, Sisi pointed out that Egypt has been working to develop the Salloum crossing for four years. He admitted that the cost was very high to build roads from Matrouh Governorate for trade with Libya but indicated that there will be great benefits for the people of the governorate because of his government’s developments for the area.

The plan to develop the border crossing is also no doubt driven by regular hold ups over the years at the crossing for travellers and goods. Increased trade will increase employment and revenues for Egyptians, but it is also no doubt part of Sissi’s plan to maintain strong political and cultural ties with Libya in general and eastern Libya particularly. The same tribes live across the Libyan-Egyptian border.