The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved €48 million to fund the reconstruction of the border road from the Coyah area in Guinea to the border of Sierra Leone.
The entire reconstruction project is jointly funded by the European Union and the government of Guinea and involves the reconstruction, enlargement and improvement of the 75-kilometre road, including bridge structures.
“This part of the highway has become severely dilapidated, with the maintenance threshold being neglected due to the effects of conflict and the Ebola epidemic, prompting the need for urgent reconstruction,” said AfDB spokesperson Abdoulaye Tandina.
He noted that the project was aimed at increasing trade, reducing poverty and consolidating peace and security in the West African countries of Guinea and Sierra Leone.
“The project will introduce interconnectivity of customs information between the two countries, joint import-export controls, and capacity building for customs administration in Guinea,” added Tandina.
The bank also highlighted that it would create access roads to farming areas where crops such as rice, cassava and corn are produced and that new road safety measures would be introduced, including the monitoring of lorry axle-weights.
In addition to the AfDB’s funding, the EU will provide a grant of €29.6 million while the government of Guinea will contribute €460 000.
