A delegation from Egypt's Railway Authority concluded a three-day visit to Khartoum on Tuesday to discussthe implementation of a railway project linking Egypt's Aswan and Sudan's Abu Hamad via Wadi Halfa in Sudan.

The head of the Egyptian delegation Mohamed Seliet said the project represents a major shift for passengers and merchandise traffic between Egypt and Sudan, and should enhance trade traffic between the brotherly countries.

Seliet explained that the talks with the Sudanese side comes within the framework of previous meetings to strengthen relations through the ministries of transportation in both counties.

Seliet noted that the railway project talks between Egypt and Sudan were discussed during the meeting of the Arab Ministers of Transport in 2010.

He noted that the project is set to be completed within 36 months, including the implementation of the railway line between Aswan and Abu Hamad at a distance of 630 km, and the establishment of a reciprocal station in Wadi Halfa in northern Sudan.

The official pointed out that both sides will begin soon, and that the first steps will begin in cooperation with the Sudanese side on feasibility studies as well as technical and environmental research.

He added that the technical studies will include all aspects and requirements of infrastructure to be presented to the implementing companies.

The head of the Sudanese delegation Abdul-Rahman Sharif, deputy director general of the Railway Authority in Sudan, said that the talks come in response to the directives of the High Committee between the two countries under the chairmanship of presidents Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Omar Al-Bashir on the activation of development plans during the upcoming period.

He pointed out that future plans by the Sudan Railways include linking projects with Ethiopia, Chad and South Sudan, which represents great commercial and investment opportunities for the involved countries.

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