KUNA : Kuwait via GCC Railway seeks boosting integration among Gulf countries – Transport – 23/05/2024 – Kuwait News Agency

KUNA : Kuwait via GCC Railway seeks boosting integration among Gulf countries – Transport – 23/05/2024 – Kuwait News Agency

News Report by Falah Al-Fadhli







KUWAIT, May 23 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait is seeking through the GCC Railway mega venture to play a key role in boosting pan-GCC economic integration and sustainable development in the regional countries.




Situated in the strategic northernmost of the Gulf, Kuwait aspires to be a regional hub for commerce and transports, with the forecast high flow of merchandise and passengers aboard the trains.




The planned 2,217-kilometer long railway stretches from Kuwait to Al-Dammam (Saudi Arabia), Bahrain and Qatar, via Salwa border exit. It also extends from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain and Muscat via Sahar, the GCC Secretariat General says on its official website.




The mega project was first broached at the 2009 GCC Summit, held in Bahrain, with proposals to link up the six GCC member states via the network, with aim to facilitate inter-GCC commerce, citizens' movement, backing up joint enterprises in line with the trade integration strategy.




Kuwait's Public Authority for Roads (PART) and Transportation has been tasked, in coordination with relevant authorities, with taking charge of the project -- Kuwait's section -- benefits of which include slashing expenditures on renovating the roads and trimming fuel emissions. It is also expected to create new