The construction of the Laghouat-El Meniaa section of the Alger-Tamanrasset railway line is expected to commence soon, according to the Ministry of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure. A special high inter-ministerial commission, chaired by Minister Abdelkader Djellaoui, recently convened to review the conditions for launching this 495-kilometer segment. The meeting, which included representatives from key sectors such as Finance, Industry, Energy, Hydraulics, Agriculture, Telecommunications, Local Authorities, and Transport, focused on accelerating the necessary administrative, land, technical, and financial procedures. The Ministry confirmed that "progress in the implementation of preliminary measures" has been made, creating the conditions for a timely start, with the Laghouat-Gharda\u00efa-El Meniaa section projected to enter the realization phase this month.<\/p>\n
Technical studies for the railway segment have been completed by national design offices, and its execution will involve Algerian companies and expertise. The African Development Bank (AfDB) is providing the financing for this crucial project, which has a contractual completion period of 24 months, though authorities aim to shorten this timeframe for earlier operationalization. Institutions such as the National Agency for Studies and Monitoring of Railway Investments (ANESRIF), the National Company for Rail Transport (SNTF), and the National Equipment Fund for Development also participated in the commission's review, highlighting the importance of coordinated efforts across study, financing, execution, and future operation.<\/p>\n
This section is a pivotal component of Algeria's broader vision to establish a nearly 2,000-kilometer railway backbone connecting Algiers to Tamanrasset. This strategic rail axis is designed to link the northern network with the vast southern regions, extending rail penetration into the Central Sahara. The project is set to significantly enhance logistics by enabling larger and more regular transport of food products, construction materials, industrial equipment, and goods to southern markets, thereby reducing reliance on road transport, cutting costs, and improving delivery times. Furthermore, it is expected to mitigate risks associated with long-distance transportation in a region experiencing growing economic activity and demand for mobility and supply.<\/p>\n
The railway line is also intended to bolster national production, particularly by supporting the development of Saharan agriculture across various sectors like cereals, vegetables, fodder, and processing. It will facilitate the efficient shipment of harvests from southern farms to major northern consumption centers, while also easing the transport of inputs, fertilizers, seeds, and agricultural equipment. For industries already established or planning to locate in these regions, the infrastructure will serve as an additional factor of attractiveness. By reaching Tamanrasset, the North-South axis aims to transform this wilaya into a key logistics hub for the Sahel and sub-Saharan African markets, aligning with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to establish corridors for national product exports and strengthen trade with neighboring countries. This dual promise of connecting territories and creating an economic corridor linking the coast, High Plateaus, and Grand South underscores the project's transformative potential.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Construction of the 495-kilometer Laghouat-El Meniaa railway section is set to begin soon, advancing Algeria’s strategic vision for a comprehensive north-south rail network. This key development aims to boost economic growth and improve connectivity across the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":70415,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","iawp_total_views":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-algeria"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=70416"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70416\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/70415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=70416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=70416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dzwatch.dz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=70416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}