The African Development Fund (ADF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have approved two loans and a grant for an amount of UA14.62mn equivalent to US$20.76mn to finance the road construction project of Rosso-Bogh é in Mauritania

This assistance consists of a loan of UA8.12mn, equivalent to US$11.53mn, and a grant of UA0.5mn, equivalent to US$0.71mn, both from the ADF, and a loan of UA6mn from the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF), equivalent to US$8.52mn.

The construction of a road linking Rosso to Bogh é, on the right bank of River Senegal, will further contribute to Mauritania’s economic growth and poverty reduction as it will help open up and develop the right bank of River Senegal, which has enormous agriculture potential for the country.

To achieve this objective, the project will generate the construction of a 196km paved road and three link paved roads covering 15.5km linking the said road to T éikane, Lexeiba II and Dar El Barka villages making a total of 211.5km. The project also provides for related social development works (reconstruction of schools, rehabilitation of sinking of village wells) to reinforce the project impact on poverty reduction in the area.

The project directly affects 100,000 inhabitants spread out in 67 localities and will have a major impact in promoting the development of agriculture thus fostering the development of several other economic activities such as stockbreeding, traditional fishing, commercial and service activities and transport. Besides it will facilitate the movement of people and their goods throughout the year by reducing transport cost and time which will have an impact on supplies to villages, marketing of their products (especially perishable products), access to husking units, grain mills, workshops for the repair of farm machinery and carts. Lastly, the project will provide the population with broader access to basic social services (health stations, and schools especially for girls) an, in particular greater facility for the evacuation of patients or in case of difficult delivery.

The total cost of the project is estimated at UA56.31mn and its sub-component 1 is financed by the European Union. The ADF, NTF, the Opec fund and the Mauritanian Government will jointly finance sub-component 2. The ADF and NTF loans and the ADF grant represent 69.42% of the cost of sub-component 2 and cover 87.97% of foreign exchange costs.

Bank group operations in Mauritania started in 1972.To-date, bank commitments amount to UA300mn equivalent to US$426mn for 44 operations with a disbursement rate of 78%