Support for Trans-Sahara Highway improvements

Plans to boost the connectivity of the 9,022 km Trans-Sahara Highway (TSH) linking several African countries, have been boosted following the approval of a US$ 185 million loan for the project from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The funds will be used to support construction and asphalting of 565 km of roads linking the main axis and the Chadian branch of the TSH.

The project includes construction of a 543 m bridge on the River Niger at Farié, with 3 km of access roads, as well as new infrastructure to ease transport and transit at the borders of Algeria, Niger and Chad.

The project is expected to take five years to complete, and cost a total of US$ 586 million.

Other donors are the Islamic Development Bank, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, the Development Bank of Central African States, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Saudi Fund for Development, the OPEC Fund for International Development and the Governments of Algeria, Niger and Chad.