UAE says GCC rail network to take off in 2021 despite regional rift

A delayed railway project connecting nations across the GCC is expected to be operational by 2021, despite a regional political crisis, Abdullah Belhaif al-Nuaimi, the UAE’s infrastructure development minister, told Reuters.

“The GCC nations involved in the railway project were still aiming to complete the network by 2021. That is still the date,” al-Nuaimi said.

The planned 2,100 km passenger and cargo network connecting the six Gulf states was pushed back at least three years to 2021 before the political crisis between Qatar and other states in the region started.

The UAE suspended construction of its network portion in 2016, while Oman said it would shift focus to building a domestic network.

“It’s going forward. We still have small hiccups here and there but the project, hopefully, is going forward,” al-Nuaimi said without giving details on whether construction resumed.

Several projects across the region were put on hold, due to the slump in oil prices and the rising budget deficits.

The UAE network will span the country’s seven emirates from the Gulf of Oman to the Saudi and Omani borders. It would connect to Qatar through Saudi Arabia’s network.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, and Egypt cut ties with Qatar in June over what they called “terrorism funding.” The Arab quartet also accused Doha of fomenting unrest in the region and supporting extremist groups.