Work to restart on key Algerian highway section

Work looks set to restart on a key section of Algeria’s East-West highway. The country's national highways agency, the ANA, has issued the Japanese group Cojaal with a second formal request to restart work on a 359km section of the highway. Cojaal, along with the Chinese firm Citic-CRCC had been contracted to build 900km of the highway, which links the west of the country with the east. The Chinese section of the highway has been completed (although it was delayed) but Cojaal has yet to finish its section of the route. Both technical and financial issues have caused delays to Cojaal’s work. The highway has been beset by problems linked to expropriation of land as well as the need to reroute public utilities. There have also been claims of problems with the feasibility study.