Assistant Transport Minister Amr Shaat said that the World Bank is financing and supervising a study for the administrative restructuring of the Egyptian Railway Authority (ERA). He explained that the comprehensive development plan will cost about EGP 56bn, including upgrading the railway signalling network with EGP 13bn in investments. The government recently opened the way for the private sector to participate in railway projects. During the first quarter of this year, the government approved amending the articles regulating the work of the Egyptian Railway Authority, allowing the entry of local and foreign investment companies as partners in the authority's projects. The authority is currently implementing a project to automate the signals of the Cairo-Alexandria railway in cooperation with the French company Thales. A Korean company is also negotiating the financing of the Nagaa Hammadi-Luxor automation project, financed by the Export–Import Bank of China. Siemens is also developing the Benha-Port Said line. The Egyptian Railway Authority is preparing to submit the project of automating the signals of the Tanta-Mansoura-Damietta line to a consultancy office. The Ministry of Transport is also supporting the authority in implementing a renovation project for 1,200 km of rail. In the next few days, the Ministry of Transport will decide on a supplier for 1,300 carriages, on which 13 offers are competing, including alliances and companies from Russia, Hungary, Romania, Italy, and Spain. Indonesia is seeking to enter as a partner in the Ministry of Transport's projects for the development of railways. A meeting will be held in coordination with the Indonesian ambassador to Egypt, Helmi Fawzi, to negotiate between companies from his country and officials of the ERA. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport is preparing to carry out a comprehensive maintenance and development plan for the development of the first line of the Cairo metro between Helwan and El-Marg with investments amounting to about EGP 30bn. The plan includes the purchase of 23 carriages and the renovation of 23 others, in addition to infrastructure and communications systems projects. As for the second line, it is planned to buy six new trains and two locomotives, along with developing its signals in collaboration with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with investments of €175m.
