Egyptian minister visits Qatar to discuss possible partnerships in maritime, green transportation

CAIRO – 18 April 2022: Upon an invitation of Qatari counterpart Jassim Bin Saif al-Sulaiti, Minister of Transport Kamel al-Wazir held a visit to the Gulf state Sunday to hold talks on potential cooperation in the sector.

The focus was on maritime transportation, and transition into the use of modern environment-friendly means of transportation. That is why the two ministers visited Qatar Rail, which designs, operates, and maintains the railway network in the country.

 

They also visited Doha Metro, and Sudan Bus Station attending a presentation on the operation of metro stations, components of Sudan Bus Station, and operation plan of the bus-rapid-transit (BRT).

 

As Wazir's visit is the first of others to be held by Egyptian ministers, he was also received by Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khaled Bin Khalifa al-Thani, as they discussed encouraging joint investments and partnerships in the transportation sector.

Minister Wazir gave an overview during the visit of the green means of transportation Egypt is implementing. Those are the monorail extending on 98.5 kilometers, and the high-speed electric train consisting of three lines and stretching on 2,000 kilometers. That is in addition to the light-rail-transit (LRT) lying on 103.3 kilometers, and that began pilot cooperation and will officially enter service in June.  

The Ministry of Transport announced in March the beginning of construction works in the second phase of the high-speed electric train that will stretch between 6th of October City, and Luxor and Aswan. 

Ongoing works are taking place in the distance between October Gardens neighborhood, and Dayrout city at Asyut governorate, which lies in the middle of the line.

The former point is the interchange station between the first phase, extending from Ain Sokhna in the East to 6th of October City western Cairo, and the second phase, which will operate on a rail bridge at the terminal.

In that context, the ministry revealed that the technical works contracts of the second and third lines will be signed with Siemens soon, pointing out that the three phases extend over a distance of 2,000 kilometers. Of which, 1,400 are in Upper Egypt.