Egypt, France sign MoU on roadmap for locomotive industry localization

CAIRO – 1 May 2024: Minister of Transport Kamel al-Wazir and French Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire signed Wednesday an MoU on a roadmap for the localization of the locomotive industry and the creation of Greater Cairo's Sixth Metro Line.

In respect of the localization of the locomotive industry, the Egyptian Cabinet approved in principle in July an investment plan by the French company Alstom to establish two factories in Alexandria, and that would create 1,200 job opportunities for Egyptian engineers and technicians.

One would be dedicated to the production of electrical systems and railway components such as signals, panels, electrical circuits for control, and electrical braids among others. The other would manufacture all types of mobile units of metro lines, trams, LRT, monorail, express trains and others.

As for the sixth metro line, Minister Wazir clarified – during his visit to France - that the first phase would extend between Qalyoubiya's Al Khusous and Cairo's Maadi, and then, New Cairo, in the second phase, where it would be linked to the high-speed electric train station "Mohamed Naguib," and the monorail's station "Narguis."

The ministry and the French Development Agency (AFD) will also cooperate to establish Abou Qir Metro that will connect Alexandria's downtown with neighboring Abou Qir peninsula; rehabilitate Al Raml Tram; extend the first metro line from Cairo to Qalyoubiya's Shebin Al Qanater; and, double the train line connecting together Daqhliya's Sherbin, Kafr El Sheikh's Qellin, and Beheira's Damanhour.