Madbouli’s remarks came during his meeting with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Siemens Mobility Michael Peter, along with Transport Minister Kamel el Wazir.

The premier welcomed Siemens CEO, and asserted the Egyptian government’s keenness on having cooperation deals with Siemens in the transport, building and energy sectors, a matter highlighted before by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi during his previous meeting with President and Chief Executive Officer of Siemens AG Joe Kaeser.

For his side, Kamel said that negotiations Siemens have already started on the Ain Sokhna-El Alamein high speed train project, where an agreement has been reached, as the Transport Ministry would be responsible for building the train track, stations, and all of its facilities, while the giant German company would supply locomotives, carriages, and all the operation systems.

Peter said that Siemens was interested in such project, as it could be a symbol of the success of transport projects in Egypt.

The 534-km line will accommodate both cargo and passenger trains and will pass through the new capital, 6th of October City and Alexandria, making the line the longest in the Middle East. The USD 9 bn project will be Egypt’s first high-speed train linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, with journeys taking just three hours. The Transport Ministry had also considered extending the line by an additional 350 km connecting Ain Sokhna to Hurghada