{"id":13811,"date":"2025-09-01T15:46:37","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T13:46:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/?p=13811"},"modified":"2025-09-01T15:47:02","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T13:47:02","slug":"matrouh-train","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/matrouh-train\/","title":{"rendered":"Egypt\u2019s Railway Tragedies: 25 Years of Promises, Zero Accountability"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"120\" data-end=\"608\">On August 30, a routine trip on train no. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.net\/news\/2025\/8\/30\/%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%84-%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-3-%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%8854-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">1935<\/a> from Cairo to Marsa Matrouh turned into yet another tragedy on Egypt\u2019s railways, after seven carriages derailed between Fuka and Galal, just a few kilometers from New Alamein City\u2014where the government convenes in its luxurious North <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aajeg.com\/politics\/%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D9%88%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%85-%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%84%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%8A%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%A9\">Coast offices.<\/a> The incident resulted in the deaths of at least three people and dozens of injuries, including children and women, once again thrusting Egypt\u2019s chronic railway disaster file into the spotlight.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"610\" data-end=\"1336\">In the aftermath, Minister of Transport and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister Kamel Al-Wazir made striking remarks, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=eqX-m7OG5cA\">describing<\/a> the crash as a \u201cstrange accident,\u201d noting that the train, carriages, and bridges were all in good condition, and suggesting the malfunction lay in the \u201cmetal bogie\u201d connecting the cars. Al-Wazir didn\u2019t stop at a technical explanation; he announced the formation of a joint committee including the Transport Authority, Egyptian Railways, the Administrative Control Authority, and the Public Prosecution to investigate the circumstances of the derailment. He promised there would be no cover-up and stated that penalties could reach immediate dismissal from service if any party is found responsible.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1338\" data-end=\"1869\">The Public Prosecution, for its part, ordered the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.elwatannews.com\/news\/details\/8123971\"> pretrial detention<\/a> of the train driver pending investigation\u2014a move observers viewed as an attempt to place direct blame on an individual, while broader questions remain about institutional dysfunction in Egypt\u2019s transport system. Meanwhile, the parliament witnessed urgent action from MPs calling for a fact-finding mission and a serious review of development plans funded by massive loans from international institutions, which were supposedly intended to prevent such disasters.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1871\" data-end=\"2345\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">The irony lies in the crash site\u2019s proximity to a city officially marketed as Egypt\u2019s \u201cnew capital\u201d and a hub of modern development\u2014while the country\u2019s basic transportation infrastructure continues to claim lives on decaying tracks. The accident sparked widespread anger, not only because of the death toll but also because it once again exposed the stark contradiction between official rhetoric about \u201crailway modernization\u201d and the grim reality Egyptians endure every day.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1871\" data-end=\"2345\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><strong>Don&#8217;t miss: <a href=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/trains\/\">Why Has Egypt\u2019s Railway Development Not Reduced Accidents<\/a>?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1871\" data-end=\"2345\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10309\" src=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"4269\" height=\"376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png 4269w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-300x26.png 300w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1024x90.png 1024w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-768x68.png 768w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1536x135.png 1536w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-2048x180.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 4269px) 100vw, 4269px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"698\"><strong data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"88\">Huge Spending and Mounting Debt\u2026 What\u2019s the Point?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"698\">The budget of the Egyptian National Railways (ENR) for the fiscal year <a href=\"https:\/\/arabic.cnn.com\/middle-east\/article\/2025\/08\/31\/egypt-mps-questions-matrouh-train-accident\">2025\/2026<\/a> reached approximately 89.2 billion Egyptian pounds ($1.84 billion), including 65.4 billion Egyptian pounds ($1.35 billion) allocated for capital investments and 23.8 billion Egyptian pounds ($491 million) for current expenditures. The Ministry of Finance also allocated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alborsaanews.com\/2024\/05\/14\/1792249\">5.5 billion Egyptian pounds<\/a> ($113.4 million) as direct support, in addition to external loans exceeding 300 million euros to finance the purchase of new trains and upgrade signaling systems. Despite this spending, the railway sector remains deeply in debt.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"700\" data-end=\"1653\">Over the past five years, the Egyptian government has plunged the railway authority into an unprecedented wave of foreign borrowing, under the pretext of developing the network and modernizing its crumbling infrastructure. From 2020 to 2025, the Ministry of Transport and the ENR secured tens of billions of dollars in funding from international institutions and major banks\u2014most notably the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and Chinese banks\u2014alongside direct contributions from some foreign governments. According to official data, the total debt of the railway authority exceeded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elbalad.news\/4324956\">250 billion Egyptian pounds<\/a> ($5.15 billion), distributed between around 100 billion Egyptian pounds ($2.06 billion) owed to the Central Bank and 150 billion Egyptian pounds ($3.09 billion) from the state budget. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport itself has accumulated nearly $58 billion in debt since Kamel Al-Wazir assumed his post as Minister of Transport.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1655\" data-end=\"2307\">At the same time, the country has witnessed a series of tragic train accidents that resulted in hundreds of casualties. Among the most notable was in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=eF_qA_8XYS0\">March 2021<\/a>, when two trains collided in Sohag (Tahta), killing around 18 people and injuring nearly 200. Then, in April of the same year, a train derailed in Toukh, Qalyubia Governorate, leading to 23 deaths and 139 injuries. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.net\/news\/2023\/3\/8\/%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AB-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B1\">March 2023,<\/a> a locomotive and a carriage derailed in Qalyubia due to a red signal violation, resulting in 4 deaths and 16 injuries. This was followed in September 2024 by a train collision in the city of Zagazig that left 3 people dead\u2014including two children\u2014and 49 injured.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2309\" data-end=\"2633\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">A previous investigation by <a href=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/trains\/\"><strong data-start=\"2337\" data-end=\"2347\">Zawia3<\/strong><\/a>, based on an analysis of official data from 2009 to 2019, revealed that the most common cause of train accidents was collisions at level crossings, followed by straight and curved derailments. Far less common were incidents involving platform overruns or signal (semaphore) violations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2309\" data-end=\"2633\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10309\" src=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"4269\" height=\"376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png 4269w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-300x26.png 300w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1024x90.png 1024w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-768x68.png 768w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1536x135.png 1536w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-2048x180.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 4269px) 100vw, 4269px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"105\"><strong data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"105\">The Minister\u2019s Promises and the Absence of Political Accountability<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"105\">Since assuming office, General Kamel Al-Wazir has routinely <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youm7.com\/story\/2024\/9\/15\/%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%89-%D9%87%D9%88-%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A8-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AB-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%8A%D9%82\/6707723\">responded<\/a> to each catastrophe with technical justifications: one time blaming human error, another time a mechanical failure, and yet another on the aging system. But he has never once acknowledged his own direct political responsibility\u2014as the decision-maker and supervisor of the billions of dollars spent.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"477\" data-end=\"1153\">The minister often focuses on technical details like a &#8220;bogie malfunction&#8221; or &#8220;driver negligence,&#8221; but avoids admitting that the recurrence of disasters reflects a deeper administrative and structural dysfunction. While he announces the formation of an investigation committee each time, the results are rarely made transparent or lead to the accountability of senior officials\u2014leading public opinion to view these committees merely as a tool to absorb public anger. In response to repeated calls for his resignation following the tragic highway accident in Menoufia last June, the minister stated during a TV interview: \u201cI will not leave the ministry\u2026 I am here until I die.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1155\" data-end=\"1541\">Following the Matrouh train crash, Dr. Freddy Elbayadi, a member of the House of Representatives and Deputy Head of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party for Foreign Affairs, submitted an urgent inquiry to the Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, calling on the government to speak honestly to the public and take political responsibility. <strong data-start=\"1499\" data-end=\"1509\">Zawia3<\/strong> obtained a copy of the inquiry.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1543\" data-end=\"2159\">Elbayadi posed a direct accusation to the government with a pointed question: \u201cHow many more victims does the state want to see on the tracks before any leader admits their political responsibility and steps down?\u201d He based his question on data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), which he described as \u201cbeyond any whitewashing.\u201d According to the data, the number of train accidents increased by 21.5%, from 181 accidents in 2023 to 220 in 2024, resulting in 57 deaths and 104 injuries. Additionally, 727 deaths and 324 injuries occurred due to crossing or walking on the tracks.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2161\" data-end=\"2220\">The parliamentary inquiry included four specific demands:<\/p>\n<ol dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2221\" data-end=\"2794\">\n<li data-start=\"2221\" data-end=\"2366\">\n<p data-start=\"2224\" data-end=\"2366\">Immediate declaration of political responsibility for the Matrouh crash instead of placing the blame solely on a driver or low-level worker.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2367\" data-end=\"2535\">\n<p data-start=\"2370\" data-end=\"2535\">Publication of the full technical report within one week, including detailed information such as signal status, train speed, track safety, and maintenance records.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2536\" data-end=\"2675\">\n<p data-start=\"2539\" data-end=\"2675\">Development of an urgent action plan with measurable targets, monthly performance indicators, and publicly released quarterly reports.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2676\" data-end=\"2794\">\n<p data-start=\"2679\" data-end=\"2794\">Creation of a permanent compensation fund, to be financed by the Railway Authority from its own revenues and fines.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2796\" data-end=\"3183\">Elbayadi linked his demands to the Constitution, referencing Article (59) regarding the right to a safe life, and Article (18), which obligates the state to ensure health services and an effective emergency system. In concluding his statement, he sent a direct message to the government: \u201cTime is up; those who cannot protect lives\u2026 do not deserve to remain in office for one more hour.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"3185\" data-end=\"3464\">For his part, Malek Adly\u2014the head of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights\u2014told <strong data-start=\"3278\" data-end=\"3288\">Zawia3<\/strong> that the recurring train accidents in Egypt reveal a persistent failure that cannot be addressed without greater transparency and public technical and judicial investigations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"3466\" data-end=\"4130\">Adly explained that in the past, when a major accident occurred, the situation was completely different. The Public Prosecution would appoint a specialized technical committee, and the People&#8217;s Assembly would form a fact-finding committee. Comprehensive investigations would take place, including reviewing events, official documents, and hearing from potentially implicated officials. A detailed report would then be issued outlining the causes and presenting recommendations to prevent recurrence. But now, citizens are left with nothing more than news of the accident and the death toll\u2014without any clear explanation of what happened and why it keeps happening.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"4132\" data-end=\"4683\">Adly criticized the immediate decisions to dismiss employees following such accidents, considering them illegal and insufficient substitutes for proper investigations. He stressed that responsibility should not be dumped on junior staff, while real investigations to locate the root causes remain absent. He emphasized that political accountability must be present, and that both parliament and the government bear responsibility for holding the minister accountable\u2014especially since these accidents have continued for years under the same leadership.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"4685\" data-end=\"5099\">Adly pointed to the contradiction between the government\u2019s summer headquarters in New Alamein\u2014just a few kilometers from the Matrouh train crash site\u2014and what he called the \u201cpoor man\u2019s train\u201d that derailed and claimed lives. He said this reflects a glaring class divide between the funds poured into mega-projects and the suffering of the traditional transport sector, which serves millions of Egyptians every day.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"5101\" data-end=\"5525\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">In his remarks to us, the head of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights stressed that the real solution lies in forming an independent fact-finding committee that includes judicial, technical, engineering, and political figures. Its mission should be to study the causes of recurring accidents and propose an urgent action plan to prevent them, rather than relying on individual decisions or temporary measures.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"5101\" data-end=\"5525\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><strong>Don&#8217;t miss: <a href=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%a8%d9%88%d8%b1-%d8%a5%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d8%aa-%d9%85%d8%b9%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%85%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d8%a9-%d9%88%d8%a8%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%84\/\">Crossing into Death.. Decrepit Ferries and a Concrete Alternative<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"5101\" data-end=\"5525\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10309\" src=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"4269\" height=\"376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png 4269w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-300x26.png 300w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1024x90.png 1024w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-768x68.png 768w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1536x135.png 1536w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-2048x180.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 4269px) 100vw, 4269px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"119\"><strong data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"117\">The Language of Official Data: Containing Public Anger, Not Revealing the Truth<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"119\">An analysis of press coverage conducted by <strong data-start=\"164\" data-end=\"174\">Zawia3<\/strong>, examining how official newspapers reported on train accidents\u2014from the Alexandria collision in 2017 to the recent Matrouh disaster\u2014reveals a repeated pattern: an urgent statement from the Ministry of Transport blaming \u201chuman error\u201d or a \u201ctechnical malfunction,\u201d followed by an announcement of an investigation committee. However, the full technical reports are rarely published, and the information made available to the public is often limited to vague phrases like \u201cthose responsible will be held accountable\u201d or \u201creform is underway.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"714\" data-end=\"1095\">What stands out in the Transport Minister\u2019s statements over the past five years is their ongoing inconsistency. In the aftermath of the Sohag crash in 2021, he spoke of \u201cindividual negligence\u201d and affirmed that the system was safe, while later press reports revealed partial disabling of the Automatic Train Control (ATC) systems in certain sectors in order to maintain scheduling.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1097\" data-end=\"1599\">Each time, the minister promises a comprehensive overhaul of the railway system and assures that such accidents will soon end. But the reality says otherwise: the number of train accidents increased by 21.5% in 2024 alone compared to the previous year, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). The irony lies in how the language of justifications and promises remains virtually unchanged, despite the recurring and varying nature of the accidents over the years.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1601\" data-end=\"2305\">Historically, every catastrophe has been followed by an urgent decision to form an investigation committee\u2014an action given wide coverage in state media. Yet follow-ups show that these committees rarely lead to tangible change. In the case of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.al-monitor.com\/originals\/2023\/03\/two-dead-16-hurt-egypt-train-accident-health-ministry?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">2019 Ramses accident<\/a>, for example, the announced results were limited to suspending a few employees and assigning them blame, while nothing was revealed to the public about the condition of the signaling systems, maintenance standards, or the record of prior malfunctions. As such, investigation committees have become\u2014within the official discourse\u2014a political tool for signaling swift action, more than a real mechanism for reform or enhancing transparency.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2307\" data-end=\"2748\">The comparison between state-run and independent press coverage also reveals a clear gap in narrative. The former adopts the ministry\u2019s account word-for-word: human error, committee, promise of accountability, end of story. The latter, however, raises deeper questions: Why were the ATC systems shut down? Where did the billions in development loans go? And why doesn\u2019t the political and administrative leadership bear direct responsibility?<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2750\" data-end=\"3143\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">A summary of newspaper data and an analysis of officials\u2019 statements over the past five years show a consistent pattern: citizens\u2019 lives are lost on the tracks, while the official discourse remains trapped in a cycle of technical excuses and deferred promises. No minister has resigned. No realistic rescue plan has been announced. And no political accountability mechanisms have materialized.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2750\" data-end=\"3143\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10309\" src=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"4269\" height=\"376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png 4269w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-300x26.png 300w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1024x90.png 1024w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-768x68.png 768w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1536x135.png 1536w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-2048x180.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 4269px) 100vw, 4269px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"81\"><strong data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"79\">What Have the Development Plans Achieved?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"83\" data-end=\"562\">Dr. Abdallah Abu Khadra, Professor of Transport Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, Beni Suef University, told <strong data-start=\"201\" data-end=\"211\">Zawia3<\/strong> that the causes of the Matrouh train crash cannot be determined at this stage, as the Ministry of Transport is currently investigating the incident through technical committees in cooperation with the Public Prosecution and the Administrative Control Authority. This means that the real causes remain subject to the findings of these official bodies.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"564\" data-end=\"1308\">Abu Khadra affirms that the railway system faces general crises, but he points out that the Egyptian state is comprehensively developing the railway sector after many years of deterioration. He explains that through this development, Egypt is reviving an essential alternative transport system\u2014one it urgently needs, especially since, before 2014, the country relied almost entirely on roads as the sole mode of transport. This led to high traffic congestion, frequent accidents, and significant damage to infrastructure. He believes the return to transport alternatives like railways and river transport is vital, noting that a single train can carry the equivalent of more than 200 trucks, while river transport can carry even larger volumes.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1310\" data-end=\"1875\">In his interview with us, the Transport Engineering professor explains that the development plan includes extending the railway network with new lengths, building double-track lines, and connecting the network to new areas previously unserved by trains\u2014such as the 10th of Ramadan and Salam line, and the 6th of October line linked to Alexandria Port. There is also a line being built to connect dry ports with the country\u2019s main seaports, and for the first time in 50 years, Egypt is extending the railway into the Sinai Peninsula through Russian-funded corridors.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1877\" data-end=\"2572\">Abu Khadra elaborates that the development is taking place across several tracks: purchasing 260 new locomotives, refurbishing 380 existing ones, acquiring 1,350 modern passenger carriages, and renovating 1,385 others. Additionally, more than 1,000 passenger and 1,000 freight cars are being manufactured locally across various types and classes. He adds that 7 new trains and 7 modern sleeper trains are also being procured, alongside the improvement of human resources through training and capacity building\u2014such as transforming the Wardian School into a technical secondary institute and preparing its graduates, as well as training new transport sector applicants through military academies.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2574\" data-end=\"3261\">He adds that Egypt is partnering with leading global companies to transfer and localize technology, with competition among companies from South Korea, China, France, Spain, the United States, Russia, Hungary, and Germany to collaborate on railway projects. Major projects include the establishment of an industrial complex in East Port Said over an area of 300,000 square meters, and another in Borg El Arab over 66 feddans in cooperation with the Spanish side, in addition to projects in Beni Suef and Alexandria with French and German partners. The goal is to meet local market needs, export surplus abroad, and save hard currency\u2014placing Egypt on the global railway manufacturing map.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"3263\" data-end=\"3889\">He also confirms that development includes the railway infrastructure itself, through track and sleeper upgrades, and converting level crossing and signaling systems from mechanical to electronic. Centralized automatic train control systems (ETC) are being applied to monitor train movement and reduce reliance on human intervention. He explains that Egypt is implementing a plan to shift toward electric trains by adding 2,000 kilometers of new lines\u2014representing about 20% of the total network length\u2014and achieving a transport capacity nearly equivalent to that of the existing diesel network, which spans 10,000 kilometers.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"3891\" data-end=\"4186\">Abu Khadra adds that the current railway network transports around 13 million tons of freight and 2.5 million passengers daily. The new electric trains aim to transport 10 million tons of freight annually and 2 million passengers per day\u2014marking a major leap in the country\u2019s transport capacity.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"4188\" data-end=\"4538\">In addition, he emphasizes that the development process includes upgrading and improving train stations and building new ones\u2014such as the newly designed marshaling yard to serve Upper Egypt residents. It also involves improving services provided to citizens, including those with disabilities, and facilitating mobility within the railway facilities.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"4540\" data-end=\"5090\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">The Transport Engineering professor stresses that no one wishes for accidents to occur anywhere in the world, but such incidents remain a possibility in every country. He points out that Egypt is racing against time to complete the overhaul of its railway system, as confirmed by official data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), which indicate a decline in train accident rates compared to the past. He expresses hope that Egypt will one day achieve \u201czero accidents\u201d once the development plan is fully completed.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"4540\" data-end=\"5090\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10309\" src=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"4269\" height=\"376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629.png 4269w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-300x26.png 300w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1024x90.png 1024w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-768x68.png 768w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-1536x135.png 1536w, https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/\u062e\u0637-\u0641\u0627\u0635\u0644-\u0632\u0627\u0648\u064a\u0629-\u062b\u0627\u0644\u062b\u0629-2048x180.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 4269px) 100vw, 4269px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"99\"><strong data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"99\">From the 1990s to Today: Why Do Reform Projects Keep Failing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"101\" data-end=\"514\">The history of railway reform attempts in Egypt reveals a recurring pattern of grand announcements followed by stalled implementation. Since the Al-Ayyat disaster in 2002, which claimed the lives of over 350 people in one of the deadliest transport tragedies worldwide, successive <a href=\"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/trains\/\">governments<\/a> have pledged comprehensive development plans. Yet, more than two decades later, the situation remains largely unchanged.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"516\" data-end=\"983\">According to observers, part of the problem lies in bureaucracy, corruption, and mismanagement. Reports by the Central Auditing Organization have repeatedly pointed to billions of Egyptian pounds wasted in procurement and maintenance contracts that failed to deliver results. Moreover, governments have often focused on superficial fixes rather than deep structural reform of the authority. The result: a crumbling sector reliant on infrastructure over a century old.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"985\" data-end=\"1404\">Since the eras of the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser and current President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, nearly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.enr.gov.eg\/Ar\/ENR.aspx?ID=2\">six plans and projects<\/a> have been announced to develop and modernize Egypt\u2019s railway system. Yet the bloodshed on the tracks has not ceased. From 2009 to 2023, over 16,000 train accidents occurred\u2014an average of 0.1 accidents per 10,000 people. The collision rate dropped between 2011 and 2012 before rising again.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1406\" data-end=\"1852\">The Ministry of Transport had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/EgyptianCabinet\/posts\/pfbid02PqViQYiY44iHSCPqUQn8B6YjyneQHNGr8ahtxWQyRVW3721y6XxEZkdnD76ZFsz2l\">announced<\/a> a comprehensive plan to develop all components of the railway system from 2014 to 2024 at a cost of 225 billion Egyptian pounds ($4.64 billion). This plan was based on five key pillars: upgrading rolling stock, infrastructure, signaling systems, production workshops, and human resources\u2014with the goal of increasing transport capacity and maximizing the movement of passengers and goods across the network.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"1854\" data-end=\"2192\">In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youm7.com\/story\/2015\/11\/23\/%D9%81%D8%B4%D9%84-%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF-8-%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7\/2456226\">November 2015<\/a>, then-Minister of Transport Dr. Ibrahim El-Demeiry tasked the head of the Railway Authority with developing a new restructuring plan to revise the outdated 2006 strategy, which had begun implementation in mid-2007. This included reconsidering the status of companies owned by the authority and created under the old plan.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2194\" data-end=\"2771\">Back in 2006, the Ministry of Transport had commissioned the American consulting firm Booz Allen to prepare a railway reform plan. It recommended dividing the authority into seven companies, each responsible for specific activities. The plan aimed to manage the authority\u2019s 70,000+ workers more efficiently and to better utilize the authority\u2019s assets and resources. However, after eight years of implementation, the Ministry decided to scrap the plan. Over those eight years, total profits amounted to only 30 million Egyptian pounds ($618,000)\u2014a massive loss by all measures.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"2773\" data-end=\"3062\">In <a href=\"https:\/\/gate.ahram.org.eg\/News\/4956966.aspx\">September 2014,<\/a> a new round of development efforts was launched during the Egypt Euromoney Conference. Officials from Egyptian Railways announced an investment of $10 billion over ten years to modernize and maintain the aging railway network, including $2.2 billion from the World Bank.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"3064\" data-end=\"3654\">The plan aimed to upgrade rolling stock and infrastructure, as well as training and knowledge transfer. But just five years after the plan\u2019s launch, a massive fire broke out at Ramses Station in central Cairo, killing 20 people and injuring more than 40, according to then-Minister of Health Hala Zayed. Following the incident, then-Minister of Transport Hisham Arafat resigned\u2014just one year after taking office. In the same year, Kamel Al-Wazir former head of the Armed Forces Engineering Authority, assumed the role of Minister of Transport and continues to serve in that position today.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"3656\" data-end=\"4384\">It is worth noting that between 2009 and 2023, the Egyptian government obtained several loans under the banner of developing the Egyptian National Railways. In August 2009, the World Bank approved a $270 million loan for the Railway Authority as part of a national restructuring plan. This included updating signaling systems and installing a centralized control system on the Cairo\/Arab El-Raml\u2013Alexandria line, renewing 200 km of track on the Cairo\/Aswan line, and upgrading the Banha\/Port Said line. In September 2011, the loan amount was increased to $600 million following an additional $330 million loan to modernize signaling and implement centralized control on the Beni Suef\/Assiut section\u2014part of the Cairo\/Aswan line.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"4386\" data-end=\"4493\">From 2009 to the present year (2024), Egypt has borrowed billions of dollars to develop the railway sector.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"4495\" data-end=\"4828\">Despite these billions in foreign loans\u2014alongside domestic loans and grants\u2014bloodshed continues on Egypt\u2019s railway tracks. Between 2009 and 2024, train accidents claimed the lives of more than 3,500 people and injured about 5,500 others, according to the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.capmas.gov.eg\/Pages\/Publications.aspx?page_id=5104&amp;Year=23545\"> annual bulletins<\/a> of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\" data-start=\"4830\" data-end=\"5299\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">And once again, after yet another tragic accident, the scene ends with the same phrase: \u201cA committee has been formed.\u201d But behind this routine action lie questions heavier than any technical report: Why haven\u2019t billions in loans stopped the bloodshed? Why is the concept of political responsibility absent after every catastrophe? And how can a system built on entrenched bureaucracy and ballooning debt reform itself through temporary committees and deferred promises?<\/p>\n<div class=\"jfk-bubble gtx-bubble\" style=\"visibility: visible; left: -2px; top: 146px; opacity: 1;\" role=\"alertdialog\" aria-describedby=\"bubble-8\">\n<div id=\"bubble-8\" class=\"jfk-bubble-content-id\">\n<div id=\"gtx-host\" style=\"min-width: 200px; max-width: 400px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jfk-bubble-closebtn-id jfk-bubble-closebtn\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Close\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"jfk-bubble-arrow-id jfk-bubble-arrow jfk-bubble-arrowup\" style=\"left: 616.624px;\">\n<div class=\"jfk-bubble-arrowimplbefore\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"jfk-bubble-arrowimplafter\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite decades of promises and over $10 billion in international loans, Egypt\u2019s railway system remains deadly and dysfunctional. This investigation by Zawia3 uncovers the deep-rooted corruption, failed reforms, and political evasion behind 3,500+ deaths and 5,500 injuries since 2009<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[413],"tags":[12447,12437,12436,12441,12446,12439,8826,12438,12448,12442,12444,12443,12440,12445],"kateb":[6247],"class_list":["post-13811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-society-en","tag-capmas-train-accidents","tag-egypt-railways","tag-egypt-train-crash","tag-egypt-transport-reform","tag-egyptian-infrastructure-crisis","tag-egyptian-national-railways","tag-kamel-al-wazir","tag-kamel-el-wazir","tag-public-accountability-egypt","tag-railway-corruption","tag-railway-development-loans","tag-ramses-station-fire","tag-train-accident-egypt","tag-world-bank-egypt-rail","kateb-rasha-ammar"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\u0627\u0635\u0637\u062f\u0627\u0645-\u0627\u0644\u0642\u0637\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13811"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13811\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13813,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13811\/revisions\/13813"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13811"},{"taxonomy":"kateb","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kateb?post=13811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}