Arab Mashreq International Railway
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The Arab Mashreq International Railway is a proposed railway network in the Mashriq, which is located in Western Asia and eastern North Africa in the eastern part of the Arab world.{{cite web|url=http://www.escwa.un.org/information/publications/edit/upload/grid-06-techpaper-1-e.pdf|title=PLAN OF ACTION FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL RAILWAYS IN THE ARAB MASHREQ|accessdate=14 August 2010|date=25 November 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716074427/http://www.escwa.un.org/information/publications/edit/upload/grid-06-techpaper-1-e.pdf|archive-date=16 July 2011|url-status=dead}} The planned network has north–south and east–west axes, and 16 different routes covering 19500 route-km. The plan is ambitious; 60% of the routes have not yet been built, and parts of existing railway infrastructure are weak or have gauge differences;{{cite book|title=Annual Review of Developments in Globalization and Regional Integration in the Arab Countries|year=2006|publisher=United Nations. Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia|isbn=978-92-1-128305-1|pages=60}}{{cite web|url=http://www.alrroya.com/node/86095|accessdate=14 August 2011|title=68 مليار درهم استثمارات الإمارات في قطاع السكك الحديدية الرؤية الاقتصادية - أخبار اقتصادية مالية تجارية شاملة|date=13 July 2010|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110707120348/http://alrroya.com/node/86095| archivedate= 7 July 2011}} some states may be unable to make large investments in infrastructure. Like the European Trans-European Transport Network,
{{cite web|url=http://tentea.ec.europa.eu/en/ten-t_projects/30_priority_projects/30_priority_projects.htm|accessdate=14 August 2011|title=TEN-T Executive Agency - 30 Priority Projects|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720163002/http://tentea.ec.europa.eu/en/ten-t_projects/30_priority_projects/30_priority_projects.htm|archivedate=20 July 2011|url-status=dead}} the Agreement specifies a family of high-priority international routes, rather than setting service details or awarding contracts to operators.
International agreement
The Agreement on International Railways in the Arab Mashreq was adopted on 17 April 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.unctad.org/en/docs//websdtetlb20046_en.pdf|accessdate=14 August 2011|date=2 February 2005|title=UNCTAD Transport Newsletter, No. 26, Fourth Quarter 2004}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jus.uio.no/english/services/library/treaties/07/7-03/mashreq_railway.xml|accessdate=14 August 2011|date=14 April 2003|title=Agreement on International Railways in the Arab Mashreq - The Faculty of Law}} It entered into force on 23 May 2005 after it had been ratified by Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. As of July 2016, it has been ratified by 12 states: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the State of Palestine, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Routes
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{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- R05: Iraq - Kuwait - Saudi Arabia
- R15: Jordan - Saudi Arabia
- R25: Syria - Jordan - Saudi Arabia - Yemen
- R27: Syria
- R35: Syria - Lebanon
- R45: Egypt
- R10: Iraq - Syria
- R20: Syria
- R30: Syria - Lebanon
- R40: Iraq - Jordan
- R50: Gaza - Egypt
- R60: Egypt
- R70: Egypt
- R80: Saudi Arabia
- R82: Qatar
- R90: Oman - Yemen
{{div col end}}
Jordan
Jordan joined OTIF in August 2010, and plans to become a hub for international rail transport.{{cite web|url=http://www.otif.org/fileadmin/user_upload/otif_verlinkte_files/03_news/01_News/PR_Jordanien_assoz_Mitglied_01082010_e.pdf|accessdate=14 August 2011|title=From the Red Sea to the Black Sea|date=30 July 2010|publisher=OTIF}} In 2011-2014, Jordan's Ministry of Transport plans to invest €2·6bn in rail infrastructure connected to the Arab Mashreq International Railway Network.{{cite web|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/jordan-joins-otif-ahead-of-launching-rail-expansion-plan/browse/7.html|accessdate=14 August 2011|date=1 August 2010
|title=Jordan joins OTIF ahead of launching rail expansion plan|work=Railway Gazette International}}
Technical standards
The railway network will be built to {{Track gauge|sg|allk=on}}, and UIC/B loading gauge.{{cite web|url=http://www.escwa.un.org/information/publications/edit/upload/trans-02-01-rev.2.pdf|accessdate=19 August 2010|date=25 June 2007|title=AGREEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL RAILWAYS IN THE ARAB MASHREQ*}}{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
See also
References
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{{Rail transport in Saudi Arabia}}
{{Asia in topic|Rail transport in}}
Category:Proposed public transport in Asia
Category:Proposed rail infrastructure in Saudi Arabia