<\/p>\n
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and Islamic Development Bank assessed the corridor during a joint mission conducted from September 21 to October 1.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The nine-member team travelled along 1 086 kilometres of the El Meniaa-In Salah-Tamanrasset sections.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
AfDB Country Manager for Algeria Abdoulkader Dileita and Islamic Development Bank Regional Hub for North Africa Director Ahmed Ag Aboubacrine led the mission.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Consultations involved the Ministry of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure, the National Agency for Studies and Monitoring of Railway Investment Implementation and other national stakeholders.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Discussions focused on transforming the railway from transport infrastructure into an economic corridor connecting production areas with ports and markets. \u201cThe challenge is to make the Algiers-Tamanrasset corridor much more than transport infrastructure,\u201d Dileita said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must become an economic corridor that brings territories, production areas and markets closer together, while strengthening Algeria\u2019s integration with Niger and the rest of West Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Improved rail connections could lower the cost of transporting agricultural products, minerals and manufactured goods while strengthening the competitiveness of Algerian businesses.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The corridor could also support agricultural, mining, industrial and logistics development across the Algerian Sahara, which covers more than 2 million square kilometres.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
At regional level, the project is expected to connect with existing and planned African transport networks, improve trade with the Sahel and support regional value chains.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The railway also aligns with African Continental Free Trade Area objectives to expand intra-African commerce.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Development along the route could create businesses and employment for young people, including start-ups providing transport and logistics services.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The AfDB and Islamic Development Bank also assessed the project\u2019s environmental sustainability and resilience.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The mission travelled more than 2 000 kilometres across 10 provinces to evaluate economic and territorial conditions along the route.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Algeria currently operates Africa\u2019s second-largest railway network, spanning about 6 000 kilometres.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The government aims to expand the network to 15 000 kilometres by 2030 as part of efforts to modernise infrastructure, strengthen economic diversification and improve regional connectivity.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Bank is ready to continue this work with the Algerian authorities and regional and international institutions to translate this ambition into concrete results,\u201d Dileita said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–AfDB\/ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":38929,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"news-type":[44],"class_list":["post-48560","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-finance","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"Algeria\u2019s planned Algiers-Tamanrasset railway corridor could strengthen trade with West Africa, diversify the national economy and create new opportunities across the country\u2019s Deep South.","published_date":"","news_description":"Algeria\u2019s planned Algiers-Tamanrasset railway corridor could strengthen trade with West Africa, diversify the national economy and create new opportunities across the country\u2019s Deep South.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/48560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/48560\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48562,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/48560\/revisions\/48562"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=48560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}