Iraq may build a railway from Basra to Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh

The Director General for International Trade and Investment at the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Tourism, Alicia Rocio Varela, revealed on Thursday that Spain is cooperating with Iraq to extend a railway from Basra to Sharm El-Sheikh.

There are excellent companies in the railway sector, Varela told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) in a statement. She mentioned that a Spanish company is working on a railway project connecting Najaf and Karbala, and another firm operating in China will soon be working on railway projects in other parts of Iraq.

“Some of these projects are still ideas,” the Spanish official said.

Agreements have been reached, and collaboration has been established in other areas, including streamlining transportation operations inside Iraqi cities and improving traffic conditions, according to Varela.

The proposed railway aims to enhance connectivity between Iraq and Egypt, potentially facilitating trade and tourism between the two countries. Currently, travel options from Basra to Sharm El-Sheikh primarily include air travel and road transport, but the new railway could provide a more efficient and direct means of transportation.

This initiative reflects ongoing efforts to improve regional transport links and could play a crucial role in fostering economic ties between Iraq and Egypt as well as enhancing accessibility for travelers.