Saudi Arabia and Egypt have renewed an agreement on constructing a causeway between Tabuk and Egypt through Aqaba Bay at an initial cost of US$ 3 billion, Arab News reported, quoting an official source at the Saudi Ministry of Transport. Both sides agreed to name the new project, which will extend 50 kilometer over the Red Sea waters, "King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Causeway". Meanwhile, officials of the transport ministries of both countries plan to conduct talks during the next few weeks to work out guidelines and technical details of the project, scheduled to begin in the middle of 2013. The project will facilitate flow of trade, tourists, and Egyptian manpower to and from the Gulf region, particularly during Haj and Umrah seasons. The causeway will also save time and effort, as it will take about 20 minutes to cross the causeway, linking North African countries with the Gulf countries, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan, the source pointed out. The project will flourish trade movement between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as it will act as an international passage between the Gulf and North African countries. It will also contribute to an overall economic and business development in the northern parts of the Kingdom, especially in Tabuk, and boost the tourist resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, a major tourist destination for the Gulf citizens. As reported our website earlier, the project was under discussion since 1988 and has finally been approved on July, 2011. It would provide the first direct road link between Arab North Africa and the Middle East - but the project could upset Israel and Jordan. This area of the Red Sea is highly important to Israel and Jordan as it provides them with access to the Indian Ocean.

Recently, the construction of Barekamutyun bridge started across the Debed River at Sadakhlo-Bagratashen state border, as reported by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure. At what stage are the construction works? “At present, work is underway on concreting the preparatory layer of the first coastal pillar, as well as excavation work on drilling, concreting and access roads of the first intermediate pillar,” the Road Department SNCO informed us. It is planned to build two parallel bridges, each with two pedestrian crossings and a sidewalk. “The construction of new bridge is a joint project of two countries - the Republic of Armenia and Georgia. When designing the bridge, the best international experience was used, and the construction norms and standards of the two countries were combined, which will ensure high quality, high degree of use of this infrastructure for many years,” said the Road Department SNCO. The bridge is equipped with outdoor lighting and drainage system. Construction work should be completed within 12 months, that is, in April 2022, the bridge should be commissioned. The construction of the bridge is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the governments of Armenia and Georgia, and coordinated by Joint Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental Commission. As a reminder, on February 15, 2018, we wrote about the construction of Barekamutyun bridge, for which an international tender was held. 7 organizations participated, 3 of which were shortlisted. As a result, the winner of the international competition was the Iranian construction company Ariana Tunnel Dam Co., which will provide warranty service for another two years after the bridge is put into operation.

On one of the last patches of land along the Nile River in central Cairo, Egypt is constructing Africa’s tallest building. In a difficult feat of engineering, the project will twist from a thin triangular base to form a rectangular tower, rising 70 stories and providing a panoramic view of the Nile River and the pyramids. The 300-meter project is meant as a monument with a message: after years of instability, Egypt is ready for investment. Designed by the late architect Zaha Hadid in 2007, the “Nile Tower” will be part of a plan to transform the area between downtown Cairo and the Nile River into an upscale district. The bill for the project is set at $600 million, though it’s likely to cost nearly $150 million more, according to Diaa Tantawy, the Design Manager at Living in Interiors, the company developing the building. As Egypt pushes through economic reforms, the Egyptian pound has weakened, making imported building materials significantly more expensive. And yet despite the cost, developers are breaking ground, because the construction sector is crucial to driving growth in the domestic economy and is key to the government’s plan for successful reforms. Currently, there are 1,400 active construction projects in Egypt, valued at $248.2 billion. The project was first championed a decade ago under former President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak, but was put on hold in the aftermath of the revolution that ousted him from office in 2011. Now the building has gained support from current President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is working with the developer to get proper clearance for design aspects like the building’s height. In terms of making the scheme financially viable, the development is seeking investors from across Europe. The Nile Tower is meant to transmit a message of growth outside the country. Says Tantawy, “It will change how the whole world sees Egypt. We are now strong, the leader of Africa and the Middle East, you can invest with us.” According to the project’s current plan, the top 36 floors will be apartments, the middle 18 floors will be a hotel with approximately 230 rooms, and the remaining floors below will be reserved for amenities like a casino, night club, spa, health club and shopping area. The building is designed with a glass façade in front, and shades in the back, shielding tenants from the development. Over the next few years, the Maspero sector is slated to become the “new modern Cairo.” However, the Nile Tower also shows that this new Cairo has roots in the past. As projects planned before the revolution rise into the sky, development plans are picking up where it left off.