Egypt Launches 1st Phase of Regional Highway Connecting Libya & Chad
Speaking to Masrawy, Abdel Hamid said the final budget allocation for the project has not yet been determined, as cost assessments are still underway. He confirmed that the project will be implemented entirely by Egyptian companies and workforce.
The first phase, stretching between 370 and 400 km, will run from East Oweinat to the Al-Kufra border crossing with Libya.
The project is considered a strategic priority for the Egyptian government, serving as a vital corridor for regional development and trade between the three countries.
The planned route will cross roughly 400 kilometres of Egyptian territory before continuing for about 390 kilometres inside Libya, from Al-Kufra in the country's southeast to the Libyan–Chadian frontier. From there, it will extend for approximately 930 kilometres through Chad, linking the border to Umm Jaras and on to Abéché in the east of the country. According to Abdel Hamid, memoranda of understanding have already been signed with both the Libyan and Chadian governments to carry out survey, environmental and design studies, and to launch sections of construction.
Egypt's government views the road as a strategic transport and trade corridor, offering a vital overland route for goods and services between North Africa and the Sahel. Abdel Hamid said the project is considered a 'top priority' for regional development, with the potential to stimulate cross-border commerce, open new markets and strengthen political ties among the three countries.
Work on the Libyan section will be undertaken in partnership with state-owned Arab Contractors, while Chadian segments will be developed under separate agreements with N'Djamena. Officials in Cairo say the road link could become a key artery in Africa's emerging transport network, complementing other continental corridors under the African Union's infrastructure plans.
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