The commuting pressure in the eastern new city of Cairo continues to increase. Egypt has decided to promote the expansion of the fourth and fifth phases of the urban rapid transit system, allocating approximately $665 million in funding to a consortium of Chinese enterprises to undertake core systems such as electromechanical signals. Local enterprises undertake civil engineering, and the project relies on Chinese loans to connect the new administrative capital with industrial areas, continuously improving the Cairo rail transit framework and consolidating the infrastructure strength of rail transit in North Africa.

Project segmentation layout

The Egyptian National Tunnel Authority disclosed that this expansion is divided into the fourth and fifth phases. The fourth phase of the route is 16 kilometers long, connecting the new administrative capital with the city of Ramadan on the tenth day of the month. The project cost is about 515 million US dollars, making it convenient for citizens to travel between the eastern new city of Cairo and the industrial zone. The fifth phase of the line extends 5 to 7 kilometers, starting from the central station of the new administrative capital, crossing the Suez Highway in Cairo with an elevated bridge, and directly reaching the planned industrial zone, with a cost of about 150 million US dollars. The first and second phases of the line, with a total length of nearly 70 kilometers, were opened for operation in 2022. The first section of the third phase was also put into use in March this year, and the network continues to expand outward. Keywords: Cairo Urban Rapid Transit, Chinese Enterprise Consortium

Division of labor financing arrangement

According to the project plan, the Chinese enterprise consortium is responsible for the construction of the electromechanical signal communication power supply monitoring system, and the Egyptian local contractor is responsible for the civil construction. The project funds are divided into two parts. The relevant loans from the Chinese side are being coordinated, and the civil engineering funds are being negotiated with local banks for financing. The Egyptian National Tunnel Authority stated that the loan related process will be initiated immediately after signing the final commercial contract with the Chinese enterprise. After the completion of the entire line, it will open up the commuting channel in the eastern part of Cairo, drive the development of industries around the new administrative capital, strengthen infrastructure cooperation between China and Egypt, and provide reference samples for the construction of rail transit in North African cities.Editor/Min Jing