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 Arabic
Press Release
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March 13, 2007
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Minister of Transport Mohammed Mansour and U.S. Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone signing the grant agreement on behalf of the Egyptian and U.S. governments., before U. S. Commercial
Attaché
Amer Kayani.
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CAIRO, EGYPT – Improving safety standards in Egypt’s railway sector in response to a recent increase in train accidents is the goal of a U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) grant awarded today to the Egyptian Ministry of Transport (MOT).
The $600,000 grant will be used to design a national traffic management master plan and assist in the creation of an independent railway safety oversight and enforcement authority to monitor compliance with safe operating practices.
A signing ceremony was held today at the Ministry of Transport to confer the USTDA grant. Minister of Transport Mohammed Mansour and U.S. Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone signed the grant agreement on behalf of the Egyptian and U.S. governments, respectively.
Today’s grant is part of a larger U.S.-Egyptian partnership aimed at establishing stronger safety measures to prevent transportation-related accidents. Investigations into the causes of recent accidents in the rail sector have shown aging and faulty safety mechanisms are partly responsible. The creation of a traffic management master plan under the USTDA grant will increase rail safety by optimizing the safe movement of trains across the rail network in Egypt in a manner that is consistent with safety rules, satisfies operating requirements, and achieves business objectives.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA encourages sound investment policy and decision-making, which promote trade, investment and sustainable economic development.
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