Bridge link

Sheikh Tarek Mohammed Bin Laden has announced plans to build a 27.5 km bridge linking Yemen and Djibouti on the Horn of Africa in a bid to connect the Middle East and Africa. the bridge, dubbed “the bridge of the century”, would be the longest in the world, cost US$ 20.6 billion and include a highway and rail links.

The proposed bridge, which it is estimated would take nine years to construct, would have a centre span of almost 5 km and would allow up to 100000 cars and 50000 train passengers to cross per day.

Sheikh Tarek, as part of the Saudi-based construction conglomerate Bid Laden Group, is also looking to build a “luxury city” on the Djibouti coast, which would create 100000 jobs and cover almost 1000 km².