AfDB approves funding for Tunisia’s Road Infrastructure Modernisation Project

On 28 October, the Board of Directors of the Africa Development Bank Group (AfDB) approved US$284.97 million in funding for a number of projects. Included as one of these projects was Tunisia’s Road Infrastructure Modernisation Project (PMIR).

PMIR aims to rehabilitate 719 km of classified roads, mainly in the county’s inland (West, Centre-West and North-West) governorates. The project will also undertake periodic maintenance of 2500 km of classified roads that were upgraded under previous road projects funded by the Bank, the Tunisian Government and other donors. In line with this, PMIR is expected to improve user mobility on the classified road network by reducing transport constraints resulting from the structure and narrowness of the roads themselves. Alongside this, it will also help to protect the existing road network, while also fostering intra- and inter-regional trade and reducing regional social disparities. Finally, it aims to reduce accidents and improve the resilience of road infrastructure against the effects of climate change.

Support from the bank is made up of a €144 million from the AfDB, a loan of €46.12 million from the Africa Growing Together fund, and a grant of US$1.68 million from the Middle Income Countries Technical Assurance Fund.

Other projects included in the AfDB’s approved funding are an SME’s development project in Kenya and a project focusing youth employability and integration in growth sectors in Togo.

Adapted from press release by Rebecca Bowden

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/africa-middle-east/02112015/afdb-funds-tunisias-road-infrastructure-modernisation-project-894/