It used to take five hours for Fatima Meftah Abudhair and her son, Abdelmuen Salah, to travel from Tripoli, the capital of Libya to the Tunisian island of Djerba, more than 300 kilometers away, on the Mediterranean Sea.
But with the commissioning of the new motorway linking the coastal cities of Gabès and Medenine in Tunisia to the Libyan border town of Ras Ajdir, Fatima's journey time has been cut by half.
The trip between Tunis and Ras Ajdir has also been cut significantly, from eight to five hours.
On the road to health
Abdelmuen, 27, is one of six children born to Fatima and her husband. In addition to being paraplegic since birth, he is also autistic, blind, hearing-impaired and mute. All of these have had considerable impact on his family, who strive to provide him with regular medical care as well as constant attention.
Due to his disabilities, he has to be seen several times a month by various specialists, chiropractors, orthopaedic doctors and nerve experts at the Echifa Clinic in Djerba. The poor state of the old road meant long, tiring journeys.
"My son is ill. I have to look after him," says Fatima. "Before the new motorway was opened, the journey was difficult. Now, it's easier to come to Djerba so he can get the care he needs."
In 2012, the African Development Bank Group provided more than €137 million for the construction of the section linking Medenine to Ras Ajdir, to link the landlocked areas with the Tunisian conurbations of Gabès and Medenine governorates. The project, executed by Société Tunisie Autoroutes, was completed in 2023. The section funded by the Bank represents 104 kilometers of a total of 188 kilometers of the Gabès-Medenine-Ras Ajdir motorway.
"I like coming to Djerba because the doctors have good reputations," says Fatima. "They know how to look after my son, who needs special care. And what's more, when I'm in Djerba, I'm able to relax, I feel good."
In the examination room, Dr. Houidi Ali carefully examines Abdelmuen, massaging him, checking his reflexes, and assessing muscle and bone strength. "He's used to this - I've been looking after him since I arrived in Djerba a decade ago," the doctor says. "Before that, I saw him maybe once or twice a month. Now, thanks to the new motorway, I can look after him twice a week, because it's a lot less stressful for his parents."
Medical and tourism boom
Djerba - and Tunisia generally - is renowned for its medical expertise, attracting medical tourists from neighbouring countries. Like Fatima, many Libyans travel to consult a doctor on the Tunisian island.
"Almost 50 per cent of our patients are Libyans - that just goes to show how appealing Djerba is as a medical centre," says Dr. Ali. He adds that since the road was completed, the number of people travelling to Djerba for medical attention has almost doubled. Patients are able to access their check-ups more regularly, because traffic conditions have improved. The medical personnel attest to the impact.
"We take much better care of our patients," Ali says. "Some of them even make the round trip during the day now. Before, you had to stay the night. Even we doctors spend less time on the road and in traffic jams. As a result, we're in much better shape to look after our patients."
Healthcare is not the only sector to reap the benefits of the new motorway. With traffic flowing more smoothly and safely for people and goods, new businesses are springing up and thriving.
The motorway represents a real opportunity for Djerba - designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2023, and now welcoming over a million tourists a year - as well as for other destinations such as Hammamet and Kairouan.
Finally, these towns can boast of transport infrastructure that matches their reputation and ambitions: in this case a new transnational motorway connecting people and making a real difference by strengthening cultural, historical and economic ties.
