The World Bank this week approved a US$440 million loan to support an Egyptian initiative to increase railway safety and improve service.
The Railway Improvement and Safety for Egypt (RISE) will utilise the funds along with other financial support from the Egyptian National Railways (ENR). The improvement of the Egyptian railways' infrastructure has been a priority for the Egyptian authorities in the past few years.
“Modernising and reforming Egypt’s railways is critical to meeting citizens’ travel needs and boosting the overall economy,” said, Lieutenant General Kamel El Wazir, Egypt’s Minister of Transportation.
“Today more than ever, there is a great need to develop sustainable infrastructure. Redefining smarter transportation solutions improves safety, enhances mobility, safeguards the environment and strengthens job creation and economic growth,” said Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of International Co-operation.
The Egyptian network covers 5,000km of rail tracks and offers important passenger services for low-income Egyptians.
The RISE project will not only cover safety standards but also improve punctuality which is expected to increase from 75 to 90 percent of trains running on time.
