The participants that attended the Third Digital Conference on Railways in Africa were very impressed by the plans of the rail system of Libya that revealed a transit rail link that will connect Chad and Niger, the Libya-Chad-Niger Railway Project, as Libyan Railroads revealed.
The Libyan Railroads were participants on the second day of the Third Digital Conference that was held in the capital city of Cameroon Yaoundé. During the event, Mohamed Ali Tabouni, who holds the position of Director of the Office of Cooperation and External Relations, did a presentation in English on the plans of Libyan Roads.
Significance of the Libya-Chad-Niger Railway Project Project
This ambitious Libya-Chad-Niger Railway Project plans are set to foresee the formation of a transit trade rail link that will be running between the landlocked Sub-Saharan African countries and the European Union (EU).
The presentation that was done comprised of a quite detailed explanation on the and definition of the railway link that is set to connect Libya, Chad, and Niger through the massive ports of Libya overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Other Similar Projects
In other similar projects in the region, the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) recently commenced works on a 575-kilometer railway line that is set to run through the Sahara Desert connecting the Algerian iron ore mine that is located at Gara Djebilet and the Moroccan rail system. The Sub-saharan railway will start in the mine and run all the way top the Dumait Industrial Zone that is situated in the Bechar region, close to the border of Morocco. This railway will have a total of 40 stations along its way and is also set to upgrade the transport network of the province.
Currently, China imports almost all its ore from only two countries: Australia (79%) and Brazil (19%). As it is responsible for 52% of the overall global steel output – 1 billion tonnes – the geopolitical risks are quite considerable, particularly in view of Beijing’s strained economic and diplomatic relations with Australia.
Gara Djebilet Capacity
The Gara Djebilet was opened in the month of July 2022. It is deemed to possess one of the largest high-grade ore deposits in the world. It is foreseen to produce up to 3 million tonnes annually initially, increasing to 50 million tonnes by the year 2026. The Chinese also agreed to extract the iron ore and construct facilities to conduct research, enrichment and also de-phosphorisation.
The Chinese possess vast experience in working in the harsh conditions of the Sahara region, having spent a total of 16 years constructing parts the 1,216-kilometer Algeria’s East-West Highway. This railway project is foreseen to deepen the relationship of China and Algeria, which goes all the way back its fight of independence with the French in the 1950s and 1960s. In the previous year, both of the countries i.e. Algeria and China signed a total of 19 cooperation deals worth $36 billion, which comprises of some 6,000 kilometers of railways.
Also read: Construction of 575km Sahara railway underway.
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