Senegal’s Dakar-Saint Louis Highway project is in progress
The Senegalese government and Bechtel Corporation signed an investment agreement in 2021.
The government of Senegal and Bechtel Corporation signed an investment agreement in November 2021 for the Dakar-Saint Louis project. This includes the construction of a road that will link the Senegalese capital Dakar to the northern city of Saint-Louis. Bechtel Corporation is an American engineering, procurement, construction, and project management company.
The US$1 billion funding will cover various infrastructure projects across Senegal. Projects include the Dakar-Saint Louis Highway, the insallation of 375 traffic lights, the construction of the Jiguinchore and Dobor bridges and the creation of a digital network for public safety. Ageroute (Agence de Gestion des Routes), a road management agency, entered into an agreement with Bechtel to design the Dakar-Saint Louis toll road.
The 200-kilometre highway will be constructed in two phases. The first would cover 114 kilometres, beginning from Tivaouane Peulh in Lompoul, while the second would be an 81-kilometre stretch from Lompoul to Saint-Louis.
At a stakeholder meeting at the end of October 2021, Mor Gueye Gaye, general manager of Ageroute, announced a mid-2022 start date for construction works and estimated a June 2025 completion date.
Ageroute will provide preliminary design including technical assistance to the Senegal government during negotiations with multilateral development funds.
The Dakar-Saint Louis project is a subsection of another highway that would link Dakar to Rosso, a town bordering Mauritania. The Dakar-Rosso highway will constitute the Rosso Bridge, a road connecting Senegal and Mauritania. It would also serve as an essential link for the trans-African corridor 1 (Cairo-Dakar) to connect West Africa to the Arab Maghreb region of the continent.
The agreements are to finance Louga-Gandon (41 km) leg of the Dakar -Saint Louis Highway project for Euro 238. 23 million; Phase II of Diamniadio–AIBD Airport of the Regional Express Train for Euro 100 million... 2/3 pic.twitter.com/1YuWSMF7sf
— IsDB Group (@isdb_group) April 18, 2022
Benefits
The Dakar-Saint-Louis highway is part of the Emerging Senegal Plan, which envisions “An emerging Senegal in 2035 with social solidarity and the rule of law,” and prioritizes road infrastructure.
As a result, the Dakar-Saint-Louis highway would be designed to provide better and faster access to Saint Louis, which is set to experience a spurt in agricultural activities. It would also help boost Senegal’s oil and gas industry and boost trade between the country and the North Africa region.
Top Photo: Road Construction Site in Senegal (Alain Wacquier | Dreamstime)
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