The African Development Bank (AFDB) granted Madagascar a loan of $165 million to implement the third phase of the Corridors Development and Trade Facilitation Project.
This project aims to promote economic integration and offer sustainable opportunities for local communities.
Solomon Quaynor, Vice President of the Banking Group in charge of Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation, said “by improving vital road infrastructure, we are not just building pathways but unlocking lifelines to economic opportunity and social progress. These roads will directly connect rural communities to markets, healthcare, and education while indirectly sparking entrepreneurship, boosting trade, and empowering women and youth with sustainable employment.”
The project will improve key road infrastructure across two southern regions of Madagascar: Atsimo Andrefana and Menabe. This includes upgrading a 78-kilometer stretch of road between Bevoay and Morombe, which passes through important agricultural areas that produce 29,000 tonnes of crops annually.
A significant part of the project involves reconstructing the Manombo bridge and creating two new two-lane bridges spanning 460 meters to enhance road connectivity. These improvements will create smoother transportation routes and strengthen Madagascar’s national economic development.
Beyond physical infrastructure, the project is expected to benefit multiple stakeholders, by supporting customs operations, port activities, trade businesses, local consumers, and the broader economic ecosystem, including research and technology sectors.
Picture: AfDB