OREANDA-NEWS. June 01, 2015. The Governments of Togo and Burkina Faso, in Abidjan, signed a protocol agreement worth 2.34 million Units of Account (UA)* with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to fund the Multinational Togo-Burkina Faso road rehabilitation and transport facilitation on the Lom?-Cinkanse-Ouagadougou corridor.

The fund (UA 1.7 million* for each country) will contribute to improving the road and travel conditions, and facilitate regional integration between the two countries and within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) zone.

Speaking on the occasion, AfDB Vice-President in charge of Regional Integration, Infrastructure and Private Sector, Solomon Asamoah, recalled the relevance of the effective and timely implementation of the project.  He observed that the project zone is the backbone of Togo’s road network and the only road linking all the regions of the country. The corridor is very important for the sub-region’s landlocked countries, particularly Burkina Faso, Lom? Port being the primary transit port for its trades and that of Niger and Mali.

As he expressed his country’s gratitude to the Bank for funding the project, Burkina Faso Finance Minister Jean Gustave Sanon echoed Vice-President Asamoah, stressing the need for urgent rehabilitation of the corridor. “We are a land-locked country in dire need for this indispensable infrastructure to improve our economy,” he affirmed. He also used the opportunity to recognize the sub-regional integration component of the project. “I salute the cooperation between my country and Togo.”

Speaking shortly afterward, Togo’s Finance Minister, Adji Ot?th Ayassor, focused on the role the Bank Group has played in his country’s economy and particularly in funding infrastructure. “We appreciate the importance of this road, which will facilitate trade and regional integration, as well as contribute to the well-being of people in our countries.”

Vice-President Asamoah reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to accompany the two countries, which he encouraged to continue their efforts to strengthen economic integration and sub-regional cooperation of West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and ECOWAS member countries, and to improving accessibility to the countries in the hinterland.