RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Monday signed a deal to assemble a high-speed rail connecting the Gulf kingdoms’ capitals. In line with an announcement within the official Saudi press, the “high-speed electrical passenger railway” would join Riyadh and Doha. The Saudi cities of Al-Hofuf and Dammam are additionally anticipated to be on the community.
The practice would attain speeds exceeding 300 km per hour and the journey would take roughly two hours between the 2 capitals. A direct flight between the cities clocks in at round 90 minutes. The venture, set to be accomplished in six years, expects to serve 10 million passengers per yr, the assertion stated. The settlement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani through the latter’s go to to Riyadh.
The go to included the eighth assembly of the joint coordination council, co-chaired by each leaders at Al-Yamamah Palace. They praised progress made throughout the council and agreed to deepen collaboration in precedence sectors comparable to power, funding, expertise, commerce, infrastructure, tourism, training and protection.
Either side highlighted rising financial ties, noting bilateral commerce reached $930.3 million in 2024 — a 634 % improve since 2021. They pledged to additional increase commerce, promote joint investments, and improve cooperation between sovereign wealth funds and private-sector entities. The 2 international locations additionally emphasised coordination on world power stability, renewable power growth, supply-chain resilience and local weather insurance policies targeted on emissions discount.
They agreed to strengthen cooperation in digital innovation, trade and mining, youth and sports activities, tradition, media, training, cybersecurity and well being. In protection and safety, either side reaffirmed their dedication to deeper partnership, together with data sharing, counterterrorism, border safety and cybersecurity collaboration.
A serious spotlight was the signing of the high-speed electrical rail hyperlink settlement connecting Riyadh and Doha through Dammam and Al-Hofuf — seen as a strategic venture that can enhance tourism, commerce and mobility between the 2 peoples. A number of different agreements have been additionally signed in fields together with rail transport, funding promotion, meals safety, media cooperation and the non-profit sector. Either side reiterated coordinated positions on regional and worldwide points and pledged continued efforts to help world peace and safety. The go to concluded with mutual expressions of appreciation and goodwill. – Companies
