Africa-Press. Egypt and China have agreed to expand the light electric train network with a total value of approximately $665 million, aiming to enhance the presence of Chinese investments in infrastructure projects. This agreement coincides with the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Cairo and includes two new agreements for the expansion of the light rail transit (LRT) network.
This initiative is part of both countries’ efforts to broaden their economic partnership, as the Chinese visit aims to increase investments in Egypt and boost Egyptian exports to the Chinese market, while also working to reduce the trade imbalance between the two nations.
According to a local source, the two agreements involve the implementation of a new phase of the electric train project and the preparation of studies for another extension of the network.
The first agreement is valued at approximately $515 million and pertains to the execution of the fourth phase of the LRT project, while the second agreement is worth around $150 million for conducting joint studies for the fifth phase.
The fifth phase includes an extension of 5.5 kilometers from the third phase, starting from the central station in the new administrative capital, crossing the Cairo-Suez Road via an elevated bridge, and ending at the industrial area in the capital that the government plans to establish.
The fourth phase covers a distance of 16 kilometers and aims to connect the new administrative capital with the city of 10th of Ramadan, facilitating movement to new urban communities and industrial areas east of Cairo.
The implementation of the fourth phase will be handled by a Chinese consortium comprising two companies, according to information from a local source.
The LRT project is one of the key projects that Egypt began implementing in 2014 to connect Cairo with new urban communities, including the new administrative capital and 10th of Ramadan, targeting a transport capacity of about one million passengers daily.
The first and second phases entered service in mid-2022, with a total length of nearly 70 kilometers and a cost of approximately $1.2 billion, financed by a loan from a Chinese bank.
Currently, work continues on the third phase, which extends 20.4 kilometers and includes four stations, as part of the plan to complete the electric train network.
These new agreements come at a time when China is one of Egypt’s largest trading partners, with cooperation between the two countries extending to investment, industry, technology, and trade sectors.
As of the end of June 2026, there were approximately 3,971 Chinese companies operating in Egypt, while the value of debts owed to China reached about $7.1 billion by the end of 2025, out of a total Egyptian external debt of $163.9 billion.
Chinese investments in Egypt are estimated at around $10 billion, with China aiming to inject an additional $4 billion this year, raising total investments to approximately $14 billion, according to a local business official.
