China's CITIC delivers final section of Algeria's landmark East-West Highway project

ALGIERS, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) — The construction of a landmark Algerian highway, designed to connect 17 provinces, has reached completion with the delivery of its final 84-km segment by China’s CITIC Construction on Saturday.

Serving as the last portion of the ambitious East-West Highway project, the 84-km segment stretches from Drean in the easternmost province of El Tarf to the town of Raml Souk, which borders Tunisia.

Algerian Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane, speaking at the inauguration ceremony in El Tarf, highlighted the strategic significance of the highway in facilitating travel and promoting economic exchanges between Algeria and Tunisia.

He praised the “exceptional quality of work” and commended Algerian engineers and technicians for gaining valuable hands-on experience during the construction of the highway.

During the ceremony, Qi Shujie, Deputy General Manager of CITIC Construction Algeria, acknowledged the challenges faced by the Chinese engineers, such as high roadbed filling and landslides. He praised their timely completion of the project since CITIC took over the construction of the 84-km section in 2017.

It should be noted that from 2006 to 2012, CITIC aided in the construction of 528 km of the highway, as one of the Chinese companies involved in the project.

In a statement, CITIC Construction emphasized its commitment to corporate social responsibility. The company established a management institute and a national quality control center in Algeria, training thousands of Algerian technicians. Additionally, it supported various community initiatives, including participation in social activities such as donations for needy families during the holy month of Ramadan, construction of forest firebreaks, and flood relief.