Monrovia – The government of Liberia and the European Union (EU) on Thursday, October 25, 2018 singed an initial funding of six million Euros (US$ 6.87m) to pave the road connecting Sanniquelle to Loguatuo with asphalt.
Reported by J.H. Webster Clayeh 00231770745986 [email protected]
The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah signed on behalf of the Liberian government while the EU Ambassador Hélène Cavé signed on behalf of the European body.
The EU regional envelope for West Africa also allocated EUR 14.2 million to the project and the European Investment Bank (EIB) is expected to contribute EUR 17 million.
Liberia has approximately 500km of asphalted roads, most of which were recently upgraded with co-funding from the EU. Of the international connecting roads, only the road to Sierra Leone is asphalted on the Liberian side. All other international links are gravel roads.
The project which is a one stop border post between the two Mano River Union countries (Liberia and Ivory Coast) will be implemented within 48 months.
It will also enable authorities of both countries to monitor imports and exports to and from their countries.
Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Ministry of Finance, Minister Tweah described EU gesture as a breakthrough towards monitoring cross-border trade flows and capturing the maximum share of revenues from road development works across the country.
According to Minister Tweah, the act of generating the right and direct revenues through the one stop shop will help the government’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development deliver its objectives by meeting the hope and aspirations of the Liberian people.
“Our government is working and ensuring that its partners realize the dividends of development initiatives,” MFDP boss disclosed.
He added: “This government is resolved to reduce poverty through the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development.”
Minister Tweah further stated that Liberia will get better through a robust domestic resource mobilization system.
According to him, the Government of Liberia will take aggressive steps to grow its revenue.
“We also have to make road development work better for the private sector in term of growth and development,” Minister Tweah said.
Also, for her part, the Ambassador of EU said the financing agreement will expand the European Union’s partnership with Liberia in the area of infrastructure.
This, she attributed to the rehabilitation of 47km of the road between Sanniquelle and Loguatuo at the Ivory Coast border.
“The road will connect Liberia to Ivory Coast and will facilitate and improve regional connectivity and trade between the two counties. Of course, it will improve living conditions and the wellbeing of the population living in the area,” Amb. Cave said.
According to the EU Ambassador, the Sanniquelle to Loguatuo road is the only remaining section of the West Africa Highway linking Nouakchott to Lagos, via Dakar that had not yet secured a financing.
“With this EUR six million (USD 6.87m) that we signed today and another 14.2 million EUR that have been secure from EU Western Africa regional funds, the total grant from the EU comes to 20.2 million EUR,” Ambassador Cave said.
The EU Ambassador calls on the government to allow the Liberia’s private sector take full opportunity to penetrate other regional markets.
She furthers stressed that the need for youth empowerment and gender mainstreaming is crucial to any sustainable development.
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