Arab Mashreq International Railway Explained
The Arab Mashreq International Railway is a proposed railway network in the Mashriq, which is located in Western Asia and eastern North Africa in the eastern part of the Arab world.[1] The planned network has north–south and east–west axes, and 16 different routes covering 19500 route-km. The plan is ambitious; 60% of the routes have not yet been built, and parts of existing railway infrastructure are weak or have gauge differences;[2] [3] some states may be unable to make large investments in infrastructure. Like the European Trans-European Transport Network,[4] the Agreement specifies a family of high-priority international routes, rather than setting service details or awarding contracts to operators.
International agreement
The Agreement on International Railways in the Arab Mashreq was adopted on 17 April 2003.[5] [6] It entered into force on 23 May 2005 after it had been ratified by Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. As of July 2016, it has been ratified by 12 states: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the State of Palestine, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Routes
- R05: Iraq - Kuwait - Saudi Arabia
- R15: Jordan - Saudi Arabia
- R25: Syria - Jordan - Saudi Arabia - Yemen
- R27: Syria
- R35: Syria - Lebanon
- R45: Egypt
- R10: Iraq - Syria
- R20: Syria
- R30: Syria - Lebanon
- R40: Iraq - Jordan
- R50: Gaza - Egypt
- R60: Egypt
- R70: Egypt
- R80: Saudi Arabia
- R82: Qatar
- R90: Oman - Yemen
Jordan
Jordan joined OTIF in August 2010, and plans to become a hub for international rail transport.[7] In 2011-2014, Jordan's Ministry of Transport plans to invest €2·6bn in rail infrastructure connected to the Arab Mashreq International Railway Network.[8]
Technical standards
The railway network will be built to, and UIC/B loading gauge.[9]
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: PLAN OF ACTION FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL RAILWAYS IN THE ARAB MASHREQ. 14 August 2010. 25 November 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716074427/http://www.escwa.un.org/information/publications/edit/upload/grid-06-techpaper-1-e.pdf. 16 July 2011. dead.
- Book: Annual Review of Developments in Globalization and Regional Integration in the Arab Countries. 2006. United Nations. Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. 978-92-1-128305-1. 60.
- Web site: 68 مليار درهم استثمارات الإمارات في قطاع السكك الحديدية الرؤية الاقتصادية - أخبار اقتصادية مالية تجارية شاملة. 14 August 2011. 13 July 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110707120348/http://alrroya.com/node/86095. 7 July 2011.
- Web site: TEN-T Executive Agency - 30 Priority Projects. 14 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110720163002/http://tentea.ec.europa.eu/en/ten-t_projects/30_priority_projects/30_priority_projects.htm. 20 July 2011. dead.
- Web site: UNCTAD Transport Newsletter, No. 26, Fourth Quarter 2004. 14 August 2011. 2 February 2005.
- Web site: Agreement on International Railways in the Arab Mashreq - The Faculty of Law. 14 August 2011. 14 April 2003.
- Web site: From the Red Sea to the Black Sea. 14 August 2011. 30 July 2010. OTIF.
- Web site: Jordan joins OTIF ahead of launching rail expansion plan. 14 August 2011. 1 August 2010. Railway Gazette International.
- Web site: AGREEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL RAILWAYS IN THE ARAB MASHREQ*. 19 August 2010. 25 June 2007.