Algeria Reviews Preparations for Laghouat–Tamanrasset Railway after Presidential Order to Start from Tamanrasset

Algeria’s Minister of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure, Abdelkader Djellaoui, chaired a coordination meeting at the ministry’s headquarters on 20 October 2026 on the Laghouat–El Meniaa–Aïn Salah–Tamanrasset railway line. The meeting followed the President’s instructions, given at the Council of Ministers on 18 October, for the immediate launch of the project starting from Tamanrasset.

Participants reviewed preparations on the Laghouat–Ghardaïa section (265 km), the Ghardaïa–El Meniaa section (230 km), the El Meniaa–kilometre point 216 section and the Tamanrasset–Moulay Lahcen section (213 km). Representatives of ANESRIF, Algerian construction companies, design offices and the Chinese companies CRCC and CCECC attended.

• Algeria’s Minister of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure, Abdelkader Djellaoui, chaired a coordination meeting on 20 October 2026 on preparations for the Laghouat–El Meniaa–Aïn Salah–Tamanrasset railway line.
• The meeting followed the President’s instruction at the 18 October Council of Ministers to launch the project immediately, starting from Tamanrasset.
• Preparations were reviewed on the Laghouat–Ghardaïa section (265 km), the Ghardaïa–El Meniaa section (230 km), the El Meniaa–kilometre point 216 section and the Tamanrasset–Moulay Lahcen section (213 km).
• Attendees included the National Agency for Studies and Monitoring of the Realisation of Railway Investments (ANESRIF), Cosider, SNTP, Infrafer, the design offices Seti Rail and Saeti, and the Chinese companies CRCC and CCECC.
• The minister called for faster finalisation of the last arrangements, stronger coordination and closer monitoring so that works can start on the ground.

Algeria’s Ministry of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure has reviewed preparations for the Laghouat–El Meniaa–Aïn Salah–Tamanrasset railway line at a coordination meeting chaired by Minister Abdelkader Djellaoui at the ministry’s headquarters on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The meeting followed an instruction from the President of the Republic, given at the Council of Ministers on 18 October, for the immediate launch of the project starting from Tamanrasset.

The ministry said the meeting brought together its central staff, chairmen and chief executives, directors general, and representatives of the construction companies and design offices responsible for studies and monitoring. These included the National Agency for Studies and Monitoring of the Realisation of Railway Investments (ANESRIF); the companies Infra Rail, Cosider Travaux Publics (Cosider TP), Cosider Ouvrages d’Art (Cosider OA), the National Public Works Company (SNTP), the Algiers Public Works Establishment (EPTP d’Alger), the National Company for the Construction of Engineering Structures (ENGOA), Infrafer, Sero Est, Sapta and Seror; the design offices Seti Rail and Saeti; the GCB group; and the Chinese companies CRCC and CCECC.

Participants reviewed progress on preparations for four sections of the line: Laghouat–Ghardaïa (265km), Ghardaïa–El Meniaa (230km), El Meniaa to kilometre point 216, and Tamanrasset–Moulay Lahcen (213km). They also assessed the readiness of the sites and the material and human resources mobilised ahead of the start of works.

The meeting also examined the measures still to be taken to prepare the sites and make resources available. The ministry said emphasis was placed on removing obstacles on the ground and coordinating the work of the different companies, so that preparations are completed within the set deadlines and the project can move to construction.

Djellaoui called for the last arrangements on the four sections to be finalised faster, for stronger coordination and closer monitoring, and for the necessary resources to be mobilised and the companies to be fully available, so that works can start on the ground in line with the President’s instructions.