EGYPT’s minister of transport, Mr Kamel Al-Wazir, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with France’s minister of economy and finance, Mr Bruno Le Maire, to establish domestic production of rolling stock and other railway equipment in Egypt.
According to Egyptian local media, this follows the approval in principle by the Egyptian cabinet in July 2023 of a proposal submitted by Alstom to build two factories in Alexandria that would create 1200 local jobs.
One factory would produce metro trains, LRVs, monorail cars and rolling stock for mainline duties. The other facility would manufacture components, electrical systems and equipment including signals, panels and wiring.
During his visit to France, Al-Wazir said that the first phase of the new metro Line 6 in Cairo will run from Al Khusous in Qalyoubiya to Maadi in Cairo. The second phase will extend Line 6 to the New Administrative City (NAC), where it will serve the high-speed station at Mohamed Naguib and Narguis on the East of Nile Line monorail.
Alstom was awarded a framework agreement in November 2022 to design, build and maintain the 34km Line 6, which will be the first driverless metro in Cairo.
While in Paris, Al-Wazir also held a meeting with Mr Rémy Rioux, CEO of the French Development Agency (AFD). AFD’s funding commitments in the Egyptian transport sector now total €900m and represent 25% of the total funding that AFD has provided to Egypt.
AFD has funded projects being taken forward by the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT), including Cairo metro Line 1, which will be extended to Shebin Al Qanater in Qalyoubiya, and Line 3. It has also funded construction of the 21.7km Alexandria metro and the upgrade of the 13.2km Ramal Tram in that city.
Egyptian National Railways (ENR) has also received AFD funding for investment projects, including track doubling of the line connecting Sherbin in Daqhliya, Qellin in Kafr El Sheikh, and Damanhour in Beheira.
“Cooperation between Egypt and France in the field of transport is of vital importance to our country,” says Al-Wazir.
“We are delighted with AFD’s continued support and our shared desire to extend our cooperation in terms of sustainable development and urban mobility.”
The April issue of IRJ contains in-depth coverage of projects in Egypt.
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