A bridge will connect Saudi Arabia and Egypt?

According to local sources, the two countries have reached an agreement and representatives from both sides will meet next week to discuss the technical details of the project, which began in 1980. While the amount of $3bn for this kind of investment does not arouse much emotion, the environmental impact that the construction of the bridge will entail raises the temperature around the whole project much more.

-- Advertisement --

In the past, projects to build much smaller bridges and artificial islands in the region have come in for heavy criticism, as the impact on the marine environment was said to be devastating. This time we are talking about a 50km long bridge!

Due to the highly developed tourism, there is a constant threat to the ecosystems in Egypt, which are falling into disrepair year after year. The project with Saudi Arabia is expected to give a further boost to tourism and trade in the region.

What is needed, however, is a balance between the benefits of tourism and the protection of Egypt’s natural environment. As opponents of the project point out, this balance is very much out of kilter at the moment.

The bridge between the two continents would connect the two countries and would facilitate trade and tourism. It is estimated that, thanks to the tolls introduced, the cost of its construction would be recouped within 10 years. Construction is expected to be completed by mid-2013.

Source: egyptindependent.com
Photo: vigour/flickr