On Wednesday, the 21st of April 2021, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio confirmed that the government of Italy is committed to continuing with the implementation of the Libyan coastal road project, which connects the North African country’s borders with Egypt to its borders with Tunisia.
“Italian companies are about to resume construction work on the largest Libyan highway, extending from the Tunisian border to the Egyptian border and pass by Tripoli International Airport, thanks to the new government of Libya and the peace.”
Also Read: Egypt, Sudan to construct new port in Wadi Halfa, Northern state of Sudan
Since 2011, several similar infrastructure improvement announcements have been made, but many have not been implemented, mainly due to the raging civil war in the country, which has led to lack of security guarantees.
Project Development
According to reports, an agreement “Friendship Agreement” was signed by Muammar Gaddafi and Silvio Berlusconi, former Italian prime minister, in 2008. As per the agreement, the Italian government would provid funding for the highway project, as compensation for the colonial era.
In 2013, a close to US1.2bn contract was awarded to a consortium led by the Salini Iprekilo Group for the construction of 400 kilometers of the road from Musaid to Marj.
In September last year but one, Libya and Italy agreed to kick off the construction of the road that will extend from the Libyan border city of Ras Ajdair with Tunisia to Imssaed border city with Egypt.
Reportedly, the design of the Misrata-Las Jadir area has been completed and a tender is being prepared to start the actual construction works.
Importance of the project
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tripoli in Libya attaches great importance to this project including facilitation of traffic and commercial transportation between the west and east of the North African country.
