Japan pledges over $700 million for Cairo’s fourth metro line

Japan will finance the construction of Cairo’s fourth metro line to the tune of $700 million.

The announcement was made Sunday during a visit to Egypt by the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

This Japanese investment is one of the largest packages to support the plan to develop transportation in Egypt.

The fourth phase of the metro will help link Sixth of October City and the archaeological area around the Great Pyramids with the underground train network.

Under the related agreement, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide concessional loans to Egypt for the metro project. Egypt obtained the first tranche of the funding, worth 32.7 billion yen, in 2012; and signed the agreement on the second tranche, worth 41 billion yen, in December, Ahram Online reports. The new line will start operating in February 2028.

Kishida arrived in Egypt on Saturday for a three-day visit as part of his four-nation Africa tour. This is his first visit to the region since assuming office in October 2021.