Maghreban railway transport committee meets

The Maghreban Railway Transport Committee held a two-day-meeting here Wednesday and Thursday to examine means to reactivate the committee and give a new momentum to cooperation in the field of transport of goods and persons.

Managers of the railway companies of Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia looked into investment programs relating to the Trans-Maghreb. Cooperation in staff training and exchange of technical expertise in railway technologies was equally on the agenda.

Participants underlined the paramount importance of railways as they can help the region countries take up the challenges of globalization, markets liberalization and regional groupings.

The Maghreban Railway Transport Committee, was first set up by Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia in November 1965. It was joined by Libya and Mauritania after the setting up of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA/mustering the five Maghreban states) in 1989.

The committee permanent secretariat is based in Algiers and its rotating chairmanship is held for a year by each of the five Maghreban states.