Algiers – A high-level ministerial meeting was held Wednesday to accelerate the development of the Gar Djebilet iron ore mine and the Bechar-Tindouf railway line. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mines, focused on implementing President Tebboune’s directives to begin local exploitation of the Gar Djebilet iron ore and to commission the Bechar-Tindouf-Gar Djebilet mining railway line on schedule.
The meeting was jointly chaired by the Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, and the Minister of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure, Abdelkader Djellaoui. The Secretary of State in charge of Mines, Karima Bakir Tafer, representatives from the Ministry of Interior, Local Authorities, and Transport, as well as directors-general of construction and exploitation companies and sector executives, were also in attendance.
Discussions centered on the technical and operational aspects of extracting and processing iron ore from the Gar Djebilet mine. Progress on the strategic 950 km railway line, considered the backbone of the project’s industrial value chain, was also reviewed.
Participants emphasized the need for close coordination between the involved sectors to ensure the mine enters its actual exploitation phase during the first quarter of 2026, in line with presidential directives. The delivery of the entire western mining line by January 2026 was also stressed. This project, the first of its kind since independence, embodies a new economic orientation based on strengthening national industry and reducing dependence on imported raw materials.
The project will be accompanied by the establishment of iron ore processing plants in the provinces of Tindouf, Bechar, and Naama. This will facilitate the creation of an integrated industrial chain linking extraction, processing, and transportation to national iron and steel complexes, primarily the Tosyali complex in Oran, which will receive the first processed shipments via rail starting in 2026. Officials affirmed that the Gar Djebilet project and the railway line represent a pivotal step in boosting Algeria’s industrial capacity and economic diversification.
