The Minister of Transport witnesses the signing of a protocol between the Egyptian National Railwa (ENR) and major Egyptian contracting and engineering consultancy companies with the aim of cooperation between the public and private sectors in participating

alhadath – cairo

Lieutenant-General Engineer / Kamel Al-Wazir – Minister of Transport witnessed today the signing of a cooperation protocol between the Egyptian National Railway and 9 national Egyptian companies from the largest construction , engineering and consultancy companies with the aim of cooperation between the public and private sectors in participating in the establishment of a number of companies to manage and operate a number of railway facility activities In partnership with international consulting offices and international operators in order to provide a better service to the public , to upgrade this vital and important facility that transports millions of passengers annually and to improve the conditions of the Authority’s employees.
At the beginning of his speech during the protocol signing ceremony, the Minister of Transport stressed that since His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the President of the Republic, honored him by assuming the portfolio of the Ministry of Transport, His Excellency directed the President to maximize the mass transportation system in Egypt with modern, advanced and environmentally friendly means of transportation, indicating that all modern means of transportation are such as a network. High-speed electric trains, LRT electric light rail, monorail, Raml tram, Abu Qir metro and BRT buses, their management and operation will be entrusted to specialized international private sector operators.

He added that the participation of the private sector in the field of management and operation of a number of railway facility activities is not a sort of privatization, especially that all railway activities and facilities will remain state-owned and that the ticket value will remain determined by the state, and that the goal of this partnership is to improve the service provided to the public.
The minister explained that this protocol with major Egyptian companies wishing to invest in the railway sector to improve the level of service provided to citizens represents an important qualitative leap in the railway system, as the participation of the private sector into the field of management and operation for a number of railway activities will create competitiveness among the different companies. In order to raise the level of service provided to the public of passengers, it will also contribute to preserving the property and assets of the railway facility and maximizing its resources. This new system will also be reflected positively on railway workers in all technical, health and social aspects, creating an appropriate work environment that increases productivity and the standard of service provided. .
The Minister of Transport added that entering the private sector and investing in the management and operation of railway activities includes the sectors of passenger and cargo vehicles, railway tractors, the sector of repair, maintenance and renewal of railways, in addition to establishing companies in the field of various workshops in the Railway Authority, pointing out that the most important activities offered for investment It includes the establishment of companies in the following domains :
 Management and Operation for ( cargo transportation – tourist trains )
 Integrated Services Company – Distinguished Transport Company (Talgo trains – Russian air-conditioned locomotives),
 The repair, overhauling and development of passenger vehicles
 The repair, overhauling and development of goods locomotives ,
 The repair, overhauling and development of new tractors ,
 The repair, overhauling and development of tractors at Tabbin
 Airtrack’s participation in the renewal and maintenance of railways lines, in addition to a new company for the renewal and maintenance of railways lines).
Lieutenant General , Engineer Kamel Al-Wazir, indicated that companies according to the protocol should apply for a specialized international consultancy office to conduct all the necessary studies to develop a comprehensive vision for the methodology of transferring the management and operation of some trains from the authority to the private sector, as well as submitting a global operator with experience in operating trains, pointing out that these companies will pay great attention to the human factor and that the percentage of Egyptian workers for each of these companies will not be less than 90% of the total volume of employees .
It is worth noting that the companies that signed the protocol with the Railway Authority are (Orascom Company – El Sewedy Electric Company – Semcrete Company – The Arab Contractors Company – Concord Company – Hassan Allam Company – Al Gharabli Company – Alkan Company – Triangle Company).