Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has announced the start of operations on the Gara Djebilet–Tindouf–Béchar Mining Railway, marking a major milestone in the country’s industrial and infrastructure agenda. The launch was symbolized by the arrival of the first passenger train from Tindouf and the inaugural cargo train carrying iron ore from the Gara Djebilet mine to Oran. The President hailed the project as a strategic asset for national integration, economic diversification, and industrial logistics.
Spanning 950 kilometres, the railway enables high speed passenger transport and large-scale mineral freight, significantly easing logistical bottlenecks in Algeria’s southwest. Completed ahead of schedule, the project reflects extensive engineering capacity and workforce mobilisation, linking previously isolated regions to national and export markets.
The railway underpins the exploitation of Gara Djebilet’s vast iron ore reserves and is expected to generate over 25,000 jobs. By sharply reducing transport time and costs, it strengthens Algeria’s steel industry, supports economic sovereignty, and positions the country as a rising force in global mineral supply chains.
