Abdelmadjid Tebboune inaugurated a 950-kilometer railway constructed with Chinese collaboration. The line connects the Gara Djebilet mine in the western desert to the cities of Tindouf and Bechar.

This railway enables the first iron ore shipments from the long-planned mine, involving partnerships with Algerian state miner Sonarem and China's Sinosteel. From Bechar, existing tracks link to the Mediterranean coast, supplying a Turkish-operated steel complex in Oran.

The project aims to diversify Algeria's economy, which relies heavily on hydrocarbon exports for revenue.