The value of rail contracts awarded throughout the Middle East and North Africa reached $434 million in the first quarter of 2013, roughly 17 per cent of the total $2.55 billion awarded in the transport sector overall.

The value is likely to increase further this year as contracts for plans to build more than 33,712km of mainline routes and over 3,000km of monorail and tram are expected to be awarded in the second half of the year.

“These developments make the region one of the world’s fastest growing markets for rail projects, driven by population growth, economic development, growing urbanization and ever-increasing traffic congestion throughout the region,” said Edmund O’ Sullivan, chairman, Meed Events, organisers of the Mena Rail and Metro Summit scheduled to take place in October 28-30 at the Beach Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

Now on its ninth year, Mena Rail and Metro Summit 2013 will present a definitive review of the rail projects that are currently ongoing as well as those still in the pipeline.  It will provide key stakeholders invaluable insights on project delivery and operations, as well as advanced engineering solutions and technical best practices that will be critical to the development and execution of rail projects throughout the region.

The agenda includes a comprehensive review of rail projects in North Africa, including recent contracts covering the extension of the tram system in Algiers; the selection of firms for signaling packages on Egypt’s national railway network; and the awarding of contracts in Tunisia’s railways that will connect the capital to its surrounding suburbs.

 “The magnitude of rail developments in the region has elicited so much interest which is why the Mena Rail and Metro Summit is a must-attend event for those interested in gaining a complete understanding of the opportunities and challenges in the rail sector in the region,” O’ continued Sullivan.

The summit will be addressed by high level government decision-makers and operators who share their plans for building the region’s biggest rail and metro projects. – TradeArabia News Service