Algeria and Chad advance trans-saharan road project in n’djamena

Algeria’s Minister of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure, Abdelkader Djellaoui, embarked on a significant two-day working visit to the Republic of Chad this Wednesday, leading a high-level delegation. The primary objective of this mission is to explore concrete strategies for implementing joint infrastructure initiatives, with a particular focus on the ambitious Trans-Saharan Road project.

This crucial visit directly aligns with directives issued by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and builds upon discussions held during the recent visit of the Chadian President to Algeria. It underscores a shared commitment to fostering a “concrete and pragmatic” dimension in bilateral cooperation, aimed at driving development and progress in both nations.

Minister Djellaoui, accompanied by Abed Hallouz, the Director General of the Algerian Agency for International Cooperation for Solidarity and Development (AICA), arrived at Hassan Djamous International Airport in N’Djamena on Wednesday evening. They received a warm welcome from Chad’s Minister of Infrastructure, Disenclavement, and Road Maintenance, Amir Idriss Kourda, alongside several other Chadian officials.

The Algerian delegation comprises over 14 experts and engineers, marking their second visit to Chad. This continuity ensures the progression of technical assessments initiated during their previous mission. Key figures within the delegation include the CEOs of prominent Algerian public works enterprises such as “Cosider travaux publics” and the National Public Works Company (SNTP), as well as the Director General of the National Technical Control Body for Public Works (CTTP).

The public works sector stands as a cornerstone of cooperation between Algeria and Chad, recognized as a vital catalyst for economic integration. Algeria places considerable importance on the Trans-Saharan Road project, viewing it as a strategic artery designed to forge lasting economic ties between the two countries and across the broader region. Consequently, this visit is predominantly centered on the effective realization of two specific segments of the Trans-Saharan Road within Chadian territory, which are deemed essential links in this continental thoroughfare.

Leveraging the extensive expertise its national companies have garnered in executing major road infrastructure projects, particularly in challenging Saharan environments, Algeria is dedicating its technical prowess to this endeavor. This commitment aims to facilitate a “major transformation” and significantly invigorate regional trade exchanges.

Expectations are high that this visit will yield tangible results, thereby strengthening the robust Algerian-Chadian cooperation in the critical fields of infrastructure and public works.