AfDB Approves Fcfa 32 Billion Loan for Dakar-Diamniadio Highway

16 July 2009
Content from a Premium Partner
African Development Bank (Abidjan)
press release

Tunis — The project, which involves the construction of a 31.60-km highway with toll stations, will provide a rapid link between Dakar and Diamniadio, gateway to a new economic development pole. It is expected to improve the living environment of people living in the vicinity of the road as well as enhance the overall operation of the transportation system, accelerate growth and promote regional integration.

It is one of the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects in the road sub-sector, designed to meet NEPAD's objectives which consist of promoting private sector participation in the financing of infrastructure. The project will serve as a model to give impetus to the PPP mechanism.

This highway project is consistent with the Bank Group's 2005-2009 strategy for Senegal, which focuses on improving the business environment with a view to achieving accelerated growth and access to basic infrastructure. It will help to improve the movement of goods and people in the Dakar region as well as neighbouring towns and countries.

The project is the first section of the Dakar-Bamako highway (Senegal-Mali), as well as Dakar-Labe-Conakry (Senegal-Guinea), co-funded by the Bank as part of efforts to integrate and link up neighbouring countries. Thus, from 2000 to 2004, the Bank-financed the rehabilitation of the Diamniadio-Mbour-Fatick-Kaolack road with the European Union and is currently financing the Kédougou-Saraya, Saraya-Mali border and the Tambacounda-Medina-Gounass sections in collaboration with other development partners, while the EU is financing the Birkilane-Tambacounda section.

Although the project covers the Dakar region, its impact goes beyond Senegal to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), since it links the Dakar-Lagos Trans-African Highway. Its impact will be particularly felt in Mali, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and the Gambia. The main beneficiaries are road users, some 300,000 inhabitants of Pikine as well as 3,000 families who will be resettled in Tivaouane Peul. Other beneficiaries will include exporters and economic operators involved in regional transport operations.

The ADF loan represents 13.41% of the entire cost of the project co-financed by the French Development Agency (AFD), the International Development Association (IDA) and the Senegalese government.

* 1 UA Units of Account) = 1.55223 US$ = 720.885 CFAF on 15/07/2009

Contacts

Felix Njoku

Read the original article on African Development Bank (AfDB).

Tagged:
Copyright © 2009 African Development Bank. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.