Construction companies in Armenia export natural stone products to international markets in Europe and elsewhere. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Armenian government and companies from China, France, the UAE, and Iran to improve the Southern Armenia Railway. The construction of a new highway connecting Yerevan to Gyumri was initially planned to start in 2010 but faced delays possibly due to mismanagement of government funds. The highway will have a speed limit of 100 km/h and is expected to provide economic benefits but also opportunities for corruption.