Algiers Prepares 1,000 km Southern Railway Launch
Algeria is intensifying preparations for a significant railway project that will connect the capital, Algiers, to Tamanrasset in the country's far south. This ambitious undertaking, which spans over 2,000 kilometers in its entirety, has been designated as "strategic and priority" by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The project is intended to open up the vast southern regions and facilitate the exploitation of major mineral deposits located in both eastern and western parts of the country, marking a substantial investment in national infrastructure.
The current phase focuses on the immediate construction of 1,000 kilometers of railway lines. Specific sections under preparation include a 495-kilometer segment connecting Laghouat, Ghardaïa, and El Ménéa, as well as routes between El Ménéa and kilometer point 216, and Tamanrasset to Moulay Lahcen, covering 213 kilometers. President Tebboune has set a target for the project's commissioning by the end of 2028, emphasizing that its timely completion would represent an "unprecedented historical achievement" for Algeria.
To advance this large-scale endeavor, a meeting was convened on October 1st at the Ministry of Public Works, presided over by Minister Abdelkader Djellaoui. The discussions involved numerous Algerian public sector entities, including ANESRIF, Infrarail, Cosider TP, Cosider OA, SNTP, ENGOA, Infrafer, Sero Est, Sapta, along with study bureaus Seti Rail and Saeti, and the GCB group. Notably, two Chinese companies, CRCC and CCECC, are also part of the collaboration. The meeting focused on the readiness of the construction sites, the mobilization of necessary resources, and the measures put in place to support the project and accelerate the setup of sites, ensuring an effective start to the work within the established timelines.
