west africa road

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved $545m worth of loans and grants to improve transportation infrastructure in the West African countries of Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Mali and Cape Verdi.

Tanzania will secure loans worth $346.4m for its Transport Sector Support Program (TSSP), which will focus on rehabilitating and upgrading nearly 310 miles (500km) of roads.

This will enable the country to develop its natural resources, including agriculture and tourism, as well as promote economic growth.

"The road developments will prove beneficial for the Tabora, Katavi and Ruvuma regions of Tanzania."

The road developments will prove beneficial for the Tabora, Katavi and Ruvuma regions of Tanzania, which currently are able to deliver only a part of their complete agricultural potential due to insufficient infrastructure.

The road improvements will also benefit trade between Tanzania and the neighbouring countries of Malawi and Mozambique through the Mtwara Corridor; and Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo through the Tunduma/Nakonde border and Kasanga Port.

The road development project will be implemented in five years and is estimated to cost $384.29m. While the bank’s contribution represents 88% of total costs, the government will provide the remaining 12%.

The AfDB is also offering $178.61m in the form of grants and loans for the Mali-Côte d’Ivoire Road Development and Transport Facilitation Project on the Bamako-Zantiebougou-Boundiali-San-Pedro Corridor, which involves upgrading road sections on the corridor between Mali and Côte d’Ivoire in order to provide an alternative road to neighbouring landlocked countries.

Image: AfDB funding to bolster road transport infrastructure in West Africa. Photo: courtesy of Rawich via FreeDigitalPhotos.net.