Planning completed for $4 billion bridge linking Africa and Asia, construction set to begin

Business Insider

2 days ago

The governments of Saudi Arabia and Egypt have unveiled a groundbreaking, multibillion-dollar bridge project that will connect Africa and Asia across the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia and Egypt are collaborating on the "Moses Bridge" project connecting Africa and Asia.
The bridge, with a projected cost of $4 billion, will span the Strait of Tiran, linking Ras Hamid in Saudi Arabia to Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh.
Originally announced in 2016, the bridge has completed its planning phase and awaits implementation.
Although it was originally unveiled by Saudi Arabia's King Salman in 2016, the bridge is expected to cost around $4 billion, fully financed by the Kingdom and would link Saudi Arabia's Ras Hamid with Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh, spanning the Strait of Tiran.
According to The Sun UK, the ambitious project, dubbed the " Moses Bridge," has taken a significant step forward with Egypt confirming the completion of its planning phase.
Egypt's Minister of Transport, Kamel al-Wazir, revealed in the past week that all planning work has been finalized.
'We have now completed the planning for the bridge between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and are ready to implement it at any time—whether as a bridge or a tunnel,' al-Wazir said.
Currently, maritime transport between the two countries is managed by the Arab Bridge Maritime Company, which operates a fleet of 13 cargo and passenger vessels.
Bridge to boost futuristic pilgrimage
The new bridge, however, is expected to significantly enhance logistics, tourism, and trade in the region.
The bridge will complement Saudi Arabia's NEOM development, an ambitious futuristic city project situated near the Kingdom's northwestern borders.
It will provide an alternative pilgrimage route to Mecca, potentially serving over a million travelers annually.
The project has been hailed as a historic feat of engineering and diplomacy.
In 2016, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi suggested naming the structure "King Salman bin Abdulaziz Bridge" after the Saudi monarch.
However, the public has affectionately dubbed it the "Moses Bridge" due to its symbolic location and cultural significance.
Notably, earlier plans for a Red Sea bridge have been discussed since 1988, but have been delayed and stalled due to political hesitations.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's NEOM project, estimated to cost a staggering $500 billion, continues to face intense global scrutiny.
Conceived as a futuristic, tech-driven city, the venture has been marred by delays, internal controversies, and criticism over human rights concerns. Behind NEOM's gleaming façade, critics have raised alarms about troubling practices.
The Moses Bridge, however, may offer a more unifying vision—one that seamlessly blends symbolism, strategy, and regional development into a single structure spanning continents.