The government of Guinea is set to receive US$153.5 million of financing from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for the construction of phase 2 of the 284km cross-border route connecting to southern Senegal.

The bank approved the funding in mid-December for the construction of the 71km Mali-Gadalougue road, which will be divided into two lots. Lot 4 covers the 38km Mali-Lebekere section and Lot 5 the 33km Lebekere-Gadalougue road. The resettlement action plan for the scheme was published in late July.

The route is currently said to be difficult to navigate and almost inaccessible in the rainy season.

The project is expected to facilitate transport on the Mali-Gaya-Lebekere axis and the border with Senegal as well as contribute to opening up Guinea’s interior and supporting the agricultural, mining, industrial and tourism sectors.

Work began in late July on phase 1 of the cross-border scheme, which covers the 107km Labe-Mali road and is split into three lots.

China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is working on Lot 1, which comprises the 38km Labe-Sarekaly section, while China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) is executing Lot 2, which covers 31km between Sarekaly and Yembering, and Henan China is undertaking Lot 3, which consists of the 38km Yembering-Mali section.

The IsDB approved financing of €159.6 million (US$171.9 million) for the Labe-Mali section in December 2021.

The Labe-Mali project is part of the interconnection of the Conakry-Dakar corridor, which links the capitals of Guinea and Senegal, and the Bamako-Dakar corridor, which connects to Mali’s capital. Both corridors facilitate access to Guinea’s port of Conakry.

In late November, the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a US$80.9 million loan to both Guinea and Senegal for the road project. The West African Development Bank (BOAD) is also supporting the scheme.

Senegal’s portion of the cross-border road project comprises the 28km Kedougou-Fongolembi route, the 43km Tenkoto-Bandafassi section, the 24km Sily-Segou-Dindefelo route and the 11km Segou-Guinea border roads over a total of 106km.

In July, consultants were invited to submit expressions of interest (EoIs) to carry out the detailed technical studies and initial environmental analyses and prepare the tender documents for construction and asphalting works on the Kedougou-Fongolembi road. The submission deadline was 20 August. The consulting work was to begin in December for a period of five months.

EoIs were also requested by 20 August from consultants for the control and monitoring of construction and asphalting works on the Kedougou-Fongolembi section.

The start of services was scheduled for January 2025, with a contract duration of 24 months.

The resettlement action plan for the Sily-Segou and Segou-Guinea border roads was published in July.

In mid-December, the IsDB also approved US$ 80 million in financing for the construction of a 40MW hybrid solar-thermal power plant in Kankan, which is Guinea’s second-largest city. The project is planned to facilitate the extension of the power distribution grid from the Fomi substation to the town of Kouroussa along with 16 other neighbouring localities, improving the stability of the electricity supply.

The Guinean authorities are looking to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030, from less than 50% currently.  

Top photo: Road in Labe (Source: Guinea government)