Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (pictured) has given the green light to build of a new road to the Libyan border, 250 kilometres south of the current coastal border crossing at Musaid.
According to the report from Libya Herald, the aim is to improve trade and manpower links between Upper Egypt and Libya; at least a third of the Egyptian workers who were in Libya prior to last year’s revolution were from Upper Egypt.
The project will involve building a 50-kilomtre stretch of new road from the Siwa oasis to the border and towards the Libyan town of Jaghbub. From there an existing road heads 285 kilomtres north to Tobruk.
According to the Egyptian newspaper Al-Wafd, a request to approve the new road was submitted by the governor of Minya governorate, Mustafa Issa. He is quoted as saying that investors will be invited to participate in the project, which will be built in three stages.
As no plans have yet been announced for a new road from the border to Jaghbub on the Libyan side, the proposed road will end at the Libyan border, but the new Libyan government is said to have a commitment to the town.
(Source: Libya Herald)
