Islamic Development Bank Approves €200 Million Financing for the Modernization of a Strategic Road Corridor in Northern Côte d’Ivoire

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved €200 million (CFA 131.1 billion) in financing for Côte d’Ivoire to modernize the Tafiré–Ferkessédougou section of the National Highway A3, a 574-kilometer corridor linking the central and northern parts of the country toward Burkina Faso. This financial support aims to sustainably transform traffic conditions along this strategic route, which is essential both for domestic mobility and for trade with landlocked neighboring countries in the sub-region.

The project involves a comprehensive upgrade of this road section to improve traffic flow, reduce travel times, and lower vehicle operating costs. By enhancing the quality of the infrastructure, the authorities seek to strengthen the competitiveness of local economic activities, facilitate the transportation of goods, and support regional trade, particularly with Burkina Faso and Mali, for which this corridor is a vital transit route.

Beyond the economic stakes, the modernization of the Tafiré–Ferkessédougou section also aims to improve road safety and enhance the living conditions of local communities. The integration of measures adapted to climatic and social challenges is expected to reduce accidents, better protect road users, and promote more inclusive growth in the areas served by the project.

However, the Islamic Development Bank has not specified whether this rehabilitation will take the form of a dual carriageway (2×2 lanes) integrated into the future Abidjan–Ouagadougou highway.

It is worth recalling that in September, the Ivorian government announced it had secured an IsDB loan of CFA 119.5 billion (approximately €182.1 million) for the construction of a new motorway section along this strategic axis. This financing covers the development of 54.2 kilometers of a 2×2-lane highway between Bouaké and Darakokaha, near Katiola, marking another step forward in the gradual realization of the Abidjan–Ouagadougou motorway project.