Cairo: Engineer Kamel El-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, recently convened with Mr. ‚¬Å¡¬°ric Chevalier, the French Ambassador, and Ms. Magali Cezana, Head of Bilateral Affairs and Corporate Internationalisation at the Directorate General of the Treasury, Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry in France. The meeting aimed to review the latest developments in joint transport projects currently underway. Key attendees included Engineer Wagdy Radwan, Deputy Minister of Transport for Railways and Electrified Lines; Dr. Tarek Gweily, Chairman of the National Authority for Tunnels; Ambassador Ahmed Rizk, Advisor to the Minister of Transport for International Cooperation; and Engineer Wael Naeem, Assistant Minister of Transport.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport highlighted the strong ties between the political leaderships and governments of Egypt and France. He commended the cooperative efforts that have led to the implementation of major transport projects. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in vocational training and developing human resources to ensure personnel are technically trained to operate and maintain modern transport systems like metro, light rail transit (LRT), and railways.
The meeting underscored the priority given to human resource development by the Ministry of Transport, which is considered crucial for the success of Egypt's modern transport system. The minister emphasized the importance of creating a skilled workforce capable of managing these systems efficiently, aligning with Egypt's vision of sustainable urban transport development.
The session also reviewed updates on joint transport projects, including the establishment of an industrial complex in Borg El Arab by the French company Alstom. This facility will produce electrical systems and railway components and manufacture rolling stock, including metro units and high-speed trains. Developments in the sixth metro line project, extending from Khosous to New Maadi and further to New Cairo, were also discussed, with commitments to expedite the project's timeline.
Mr. ‚¬Å¡¬°ric Chevalier expressed France's commitment to strengthening transport sector cooperation with Egypt, emphasizing vocational training and railway development. Ms. Magali Cezana reiterated her enthusiasm for the ongoing cooperation, highlighting the long-standing partnership in the railway sector and the interest of French companies in participating in Egypt's railway industry localization efforts.