The African Improvement Financial institution (www.AfDB.org) has granted Tunisia a mortgage of €80.16 million to implement the following part of the nation’s highway enchancment scheme.
The challenge for Part 3 of the Highway Infrastructure Modernization Programme carries a complete value of €86.21 million euros and is being co-financed by the mortgage of €80.16 million from the Financial institution. This covers 92.98 % of the overall value of the challenge with a supporting contribution of €6.05 million from the Tunisian authorities. The Financial institution’s participation was authorized by the Board of Administrators on 9 December final 12 months.
The plan goals to upgrade188.9 km of labeled roads in seven governorates: Kef, Kasserine, Sousse, Sfax, Kairouan, Siliana and Gafsa, the place substantial financial potential stays unrealized as a consequence of transport constraints largely because of the poor situation of roads.
The Financial institution’s intervention will assist to enhance the standard of Tunisia’s highway community and circumstances for highway customers within the goal areas. It’ll assist to create an environment friendly and sustainable transport system, which may help progress and create beneficial circumstances for the motion of products and other people in and between Tunisia’s areas.
The transport sector performs an essential function within the Tunisian financial system, accounting for about 5 % of GDP and offering 160,000 jobs, instantly and not directly. The challenge, which is able to run from 2025 to 2030, is a continuation of two earlier phases of the Highway Infrastructure Modernization Programme.
Solomon Quaynor, Financial institution Vice President with duty for the Non-public Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, commented:
“Over the previous 10 years, the African Improvement Financial institution has helped to renovate and modernize some 4,000 kilometres of roads and 104 kilometres of motorways, in addition to creating varied related amenities in Tunisia. This work has vastly improved the extent of service offered by the highway community, making varied routes extra handy by the set up of bridges, and facilitating entry to areas and to their socio-economic potential.”
He added that the upgrading and upkeep of highway infrastructure in the course of the third part of the Highway Infrastructure Modernization Programme would “enhance prospects for the non-public sector and native SMEs, in addition to creating new jobs for younger individuals.”
“The Financial institution’s intervention will even profit micro-enterprises centered on highway upkeep, enabling infrastructure to be maintained over the long run, whereas on the similar time creating market alternatives for entrepreneurs. Highway upgrades will enhance entry to areas with excessive agricultural value-added, contributing to Tunisia’s meals safety, due to the event of worth chains supported by the non-public sector” Quaynor famous.
Enchancment of highway sections linking border areas of Tunisia and Algeria will assist to realize regional steadiness as regards highway infrastructure high quality in deprived areas. It’ll additionally assist to cut back youth unemployment by creating jobs to take care of the community, assuaging poverty in susceptible components of the nation.
The challenge contributes to 2 of the High5 operational priorities of the Financial institution’s Ten-Yr Technique 2024-2033, particularly “Integrating Africa” and “Bettering the standard of life of individuals in Africa”, serving to to understand the Financial institution’s imaginative and prescient of a affluent, inclusive, resilient and built-in Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Improvement Financial institution Group (AfDB).
Media contact:
Romaric Ollo Hien
Communications and Exterior Relations Division
media@afdb.org
