JAKARTA - Saudi Arabia and Qatar have signed an agreement to build a high-speed electric train that connects the two countries.
The announcement came after Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar's Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani chaired the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council in Riyadh earlier this month.
The train will later connect Riyadh with Doha via the Saudi cities of Dammam and al-Hofuf, and aims to connect King Salman International Airport with Hamad International Airport, as quoted by Al Arabiya (20/12).
The train, which is targeted to travel for two hours, is expected to "significantly improve mobility, encourage trade and tourism, and improve the quality of life," SPA reported.
The agreement was signed by the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services of Saudi Arabia, Saleh Al Jasser, and the Minister of Transport of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani.
The project is expected to deliver positive results for both countries as it is estimated to generate 115 billion Saudi riyals for the GDP of both countries and will help create 30,000 jobs.
The transportation project connecting the two countries is expected to be completed in the next six years.
The train project stretches 785 kilometers at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour. More than 10 million passengers will benefit from this train network.
In a joint statement after the meeting, both sides welcomed the agreement and stated that the project was considered "one of the largest strategic initiatives" that supports the vision goals of both countries.
The joint statement also touched on defense and security cooperation between the two countries, stating "their determination to strengthen and develop a defense partnership between them."
Both sides praised this high level of coordination and security cooperation and agreed to continue to strengthen it in a way that leads to security and stability.
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