The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) is set to finance the construction of a tunnel Road linking the Sinai Peninsula to South Sinai in Egypt. This is after the government of Egypt together with the KFAED entered into a funding agreement worth US $85.3m.
The road starts in Suez Governorate east of the canal at the intersection of Cross Road 1 with the road of the martyr Ahmed Hamdy tunnel, takes a north-south route along the west coast of the peninsula and it ends in Sharm El-Sheikh.
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The scope of work
The work on this project includes the expansion of an approximately 350km road to a six-lane asphalt highway (three lanes in each direction and a width of 3.6m for each). The building of a middle island with a width of 12.2 – 37.5 m will also make up the scope of work as well as the construction of side shoulders (2.5m by 0.6m) on both sides.
The project also comprises of water drainage system works, protection, and safety works; as well as consultancy services that includes: detailed design, review, and supervision of its execution.
The objective of the project
The project is intended to integrate the road network in the Sinai Peninsula and raise the level of safety of its use. It also intends to reduce operating costs and transport time, thus contributing to the development efforts in project impact area; besides boosting employment opportunities, as well as access to education and health services for the population.
Egypt’s Minister of Investment and International Cooperation, Dr. Sahar Ahmed Mohamed Abdel Moneim Nasr and Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chairman at the board of directors of KFAED, also inked a framework agreement to finance the second phase of the Sinai development programme at a value of US $1bn.