Chinese firms to study feasibility of Chad Sudan railway - Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan

November 7, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government Tuesday represented by the Ministry of Roads and Bridges, signed an agreement with a Chinese company to build a railway linking Port Sudan on the Red Sea with Chadian capital N’Djamena.

The agreement was signed by the Director General of the Railways Authority, Ibrahim Fadl, representing the Ministry of Roads and Bridges with the Director of the China Railway Design Corporation (CRDC) (CRDC) and China Friendship Development International Engineering Design & Consultation Company (FDDC).

The agreement stipulates that the Chinese side will study the feasibility of the construction of the 3,400 kilometre-long railway linking Port Sudan and N’Djamena within 12 months.

Minister of Transport, Roads and Bridges Makawi Mohamed Awad said that his ministry is continuing to implement its programs until Sudan becomes a link to all the neighbouring landlocked countries, pointing to the importance of the Sudan -Chad railway.

Sudan agreed with the Chad and the Central African Republic to link their capitals with Port Sudan but the regional instability delayed the implementation of the projects.

Also, the funding of this vital railway may involve several partners. The Islamic Cooperation Organization in 2008 agreed to fund the Port Sudan-Dakar Railway Line. This would connect Sudan, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Burkino Faso, and Senegal.

Also in March 2012, Chadian government and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation a contract to build a railway line connecting Chad to Cameroon and Sudan.