The brother of Osama Bin Laden is reported to want to construct 100 new cities, with the first two being built in Africa and the Middle East, either side of a £100bn suspension bridge over the Red Sea.
Sheik Tarek Bin Laden has plans to connect Yemen and Djibouti via a 20-mile suspension bridge, called the Bridge of Horns, which would be the longest bridge of its kind in the world.
Not only would the bridge carry 100,000 a day over six motorway lanes, but the structure would also be equipped to carry 50,000 daily train passengers on four railway lines, according to reports.
The plan is part of the Al-Noor project and the two cities intended to be built either side of the vast bridge have been nicknamed “Al-Noor cities” or “Cities of Light”.
Bin Laden’s plans, following the construction of the bridge and the cities either side of it, would be to embark on an epic project to construct 98 more cities.
Although locations are yet to be specified, it has been reported that Syria, Egypt, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia’s Mecca-Jeddah are all possible sites for construction.
However, the plan for the bridge, as well as the cities, is still on the drawing board. Despite being first unveiled in 2008, proposals are yet to be actioned or construction started.
Nevertheless, the Djiboutian government has already earmarked the land for the new city on their side of the Bridge of Horns.
The East African country saw an economic boost after Eritrea got its independence and Ethiopia lost its access to the sea, and it is presumably hopeful of a huge surge in its GDP with the construction of the bridge.
With major conflicts in the Middle East, including Yemen, the project is unlikely to be kickstarted anytime soon. But if it does, it’s sure to bring rapid economic development to the region.
