Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat announced the signing of an agreement with the French Development Agency to fund the renovation of the Cairo Metro Line 1 project, worth 50 million euros. The agreement was signed under a multilateral cooperation framework between Egyptian development partners, which connects the French Development Agency, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank.

Egypt’s Minister of State Council for Foreign Affairs El Mashatt revealed that the project aims to renovate and modernize the 44-kilometre north-south subway line that intersects Cairo Line 1 and Line 2 and Line 3.

The project aims to maintain the efficient operating services of Cairo Metro Line 1 during the ongoing network expansion and increasing demand through the comprehensive overhaul of the line system and infrastructure and the purchase of new vehicles with separate funds.

Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir said that the signed agreement brought the total funds allocated to the renovation of the Cairo Metro Line 1 to 605 million euros, including the 205 million euros provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, The European Investment Bank provided 350 million euros, in addition to the national budget allocation of 145 million euros.

Transport Minister Carmel Wazell also said: "The agreement also belongs to a comprehensive and comprehensive framework implemented by the Ministry of Transport, where the first phase involves the transformation of railways, signals and communications and central control systems, and other improvements to railways and electromechanical ". The second phase will pay 650 million euros for the purchase of subway vehicles.

French ambassador to Egypt Stefan Romet praised the refurbishment of Cairo Metro Line 1: "The signing of this agreement is of great significance to both of our countries and shows that France and Egypt have been in the Cairo Metro project for more than 30 years. A new stage of historical partnership." Editor/Huang Lijun