The East-West Highway marks a centenary project in Algeria

Section M3, part of the middle section of the East-West Highway in Algeria and undertaken by a consortium of CITIC and CRCC from China, was inaugurated on April 14, marking the highway's middle and west sections were put through.

Algeria's Minister of Public Works Amar Ghoul, Minister of Industry Mohamed Benmeradi and other government officials, Charged' Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Algeria An Qing and representatives of the consortium attended the ceremony. Together with about a thousand local people, they walked through tunnels T1 and T2 extending 2,500 meters.

In his address, Ghoul said the East-West Highway was a centenary project in his country. The highway, another example of Algeria-China cooperation, will play a significant role in boosting national economy and the cooperation in Maghreb region. He extended appreciation to the Chinese government and the constructors of both countries for their five-year hard work, saying the project will enhance the win-win cooperation between Algeria and China.

An Qing commended the highway as a friendship tie between China and Algeria. During the construction, the consortium earnestly fulfilled its social responsibilities by means of digging wells, training and medical visits, receiving good comments from local residents. China values the traditional friendship with Algeria, and hopes the two countries intensify cooperation in various fields and bring their strategic cooperation to a new high.

Kamaledin, manager of the new project administration of the highway authority, told Xinhua that M3 made travel easy for local residents. A portal to east Algeria, it links the capital with 17 provinces, and would boost local economic development.

The East-West Highway runs 1,216 kilometers along the Mediterranean coast north of Algeria to connect Tunisia in the east and Morocco in the west. Going through 24 provinces to benefit 90 percent of the Algerian population, it is the largest foreign currency project since the founding of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. The consortium won the bid for the middle and west sections in May 2006, ranging 169 kilometers and 259 kilometers respectively.