The African Development Fund has approved a loan of €156.66 million to improve cross-border roads connecting Burkina Faso and Mali to Côte d’Ivoire.
This funding will improve a 242 km stretch of road, supported by the Bank Group’s concessional window and the Transition Support Facility, and will be backed by contributions from the Islamic Development Bank (€138 million) and the European Union (€25 million).
In Burkina Faso, the financing will renovate the 155 km Bobo Dioulasso-Banfora-Côte d’Ivoire border road, construct the 42 km Banfora-Orodara section, and modernize a key bridge over the Léraba River. In Mali, €73.73 million will be allocated to improve the 45 km Bougouni-Garalo segment leading to Côte d’Ivoire.
The project, scheduled for completion by 2030, aims to improve transport logistics, boost intra-regional trade, and enhance access to economic opportunities. Additionally, it will support climate resilience, local infrastructure, and socio-economic development for 4.5 million people in the agricultural-pastoral region.
Lamin Barrow, the African Development Bank’s Director General for West Africa, stated, “This investment will strengthen regional integration, create employment, and enhance market access for agricultural and livestock products.”
