UAE Energy: The Minister Of Energy And Infrastructure Inaugurates The Activities Of The Middle East Railway Exhibition And Conference

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, H.E Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates, inaugurated the Eighth Session of the Middle East Railway Exhibition and Conference 2021, with the attendance of more than 4,000 participants and more than 300 exhibitors, and more than 200 speakers… This two-day exhibition and conference, which is hosted by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, is a unique platform for the regional railway industry and an opportunity to explore the new technologies and a focal point for planning the future of the industry.

The conference was attended by His Excellency Engineer Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Chris Heaton-Harris, Minister of Transport in the United Kingdom, His Excellency Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Bahraini Minister of Transport and Communications, His Excellency Eng. Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail, and a number of Their Excellencies concerned the transport sector regionally and globally.

In his opening speech at the Middle East Railway Exhibition and Conference, H.E Suhail Al Mazrouei said: “This exhibition and conference constitutes a leading platform for cooperation to support the transport sector and enhance the efforts to address the challenges related to it as it is of vital importance to sustainable development, an important international event in the field of transport technology, and a global gathering of specialists in the field of transportation and mobility, during which the latest technology in the areas of infrastructure for the construction of the railway network and various transportation systems will be discussed and presented..

His Excellency welcomed all participants in this exhibition and conference and wished that it achieves the best possible results through the generous participation of all concerned in this event, where they exchange of views and contribute to the strengthening of the transport system. H.E added: “The future of mobility worldwide poses great challenges to us, represented in: Adapting modern systems to local conditions, including existing infrastructure, and realizing the impact of modern systems on the urban planning and urban fabric of cities, as well as ensuring a smooth transition from the traditional systems to the modern modes of mobility”.

His Excellency Suhail Al Mazrouei continued: “The UAE has greatly enhanced the railway sector at all local, regional and international levels; and this was represented in the establishment of the Etihad Rail Company and allocating a budget to develop the national railway network… which will link the seven emirates; and will also extend to connect with the network of the GCC and link between the GCC countries: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, and the Sultanate of Oman… The network length will reach 1200 km, which in turn will contribute to reducing the shipping costs and shortening the time spent on travel. It helps also expand the industrial and urban clusters, supporting the economic, social, and cultural development and reducing the carbon emissions by 70-80 percent compared to the use of trucks in transport. The UAE aims to expand cooperation with the neighboring countries and develop transport projects that enhance the cross-border cooperation in the field of transport.



His Excellency stressed that the UAE government is committed to developing a high-level transportation infrastructure based on the international best practices; while over the past few years, the UAE has developed an increasing number of ambitious projects for the public transport, including the metro, railway, and the bus networks, as well as the road networks, which in turn supports the state’s approach to meet the increase of the population, as well as the urban, economic, commercial growth, as well as its goals for the next fifty years and its global leadership.



Afterwards, H.E Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, accompanied by their Excellencies the guests of the exhibition, toured the exhibition and was briefed on the most prominent participating pavilions and the most important solutions and innovations they offer in the fields of sustainable transport, autonomous vehicles, mass transit and railways, and the projects they are implementing in this regard.