The Egyptian government signed on Friday an agreement with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) for a $2.5 million grant to finance technical, economic and environmental feasibility studies on a railway link between Egypt and Sudan.
The signing of the agreement came on the sidelines of the Arab financial institutions gathering in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The aspired railway link between Egypt and Sudan is expected to extend for 570 kilometres.
Minister of International Co-operation, Rania al-Mashat, who signed the agreement for Egypt, highlighted the importance of the link.
This link, she said, comes within the framework of Egypt’s keenness to consolidate co-operation, achieve economic and social integration, and open new areas for sustainable development with Sudan.
”The project will contribute to the flow of trade between the two countries and maximise their common interests,” the minister said.
The study to be financed with the KFAED grant is scheduled to include determining the technical, economic and financial feasibility of the project, studying its environmental and social impacts, and reviewing previous studies on the project.
It will also determine the components of the project, including railway networks, signal and communication systems, electrical power systems, support facilities, and the location of the interchange station.
Minister al-Mashat noted that Egypt has strong relations with the KFAED.
The fund, she said, contributes to the implementation of many development projects in Egypt, especially within the Sinai development programme.
