Eu107m Project Will Link Liberia to Sierra Leone By Paved Road Freetown, Sierra Leone — The European Commission has approved a 107 million Euro package that will pave the way for the rehabilitation of a 100 kilometer stretch of road linking Liberia to neighboring Sierra Leone. Ambassador Peter Versteeg, Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Sierra Leone used the occasion of the 64th anniversary of Europe Day Friday which coincided with the inauguration of the once rugged Lumley Beach Road to announce that the deal for the Liberia-Sierra Leone border road had been sealed. Said Ambassador Versteeg: Today on Europe Day, it is my pleasure to announce that the European Commission in Brussells have just signed the main financing agreement for the Bandajuma-Liberian border road, linking Sierra Leone to Liberia. This program aims to support the rehabilitation of some 100 kilometers of highway and key bridges. The entire project entails a financial contribution of 107 million Euros. This new project which will soon be send to tender aims to boost West African activities, reintegration and trade between Sierra Leone and Liberia. When completed the road will increase the West Africa sub-regional economic activity and connectivity to reduce poverty in the concerned areas as well as reduce vehicle operating costs, travel time and accidents. The road will be upgraded from the section of Zimmi to the Liberian Border (42.9 Km) from a poor gravel road to an all-weather paved road. The reshaping of the Zimni-Moa River section (13.7 Km). The rehabilitation of bridges along the international road to two lane bridges including the replacement of a hand-pulled ferry with a two lane bridge. Sierra Leone under President Ernest Ba Koroma is enjoying rapid infrastructural transformation with the EU, which has in the past five years provided funding of over $200 million for infrastructure development, being a key partner. The EU believes that Sierra Leones growing economy could benefit from further integration of the Western African economies and from the gradual liberalization of trade under the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement. According to the EU, the revised Cotonou Agreement reaffirms the importance of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), in order to change 30 years of trade preferences that have failed to develop West African economies. The general philosophy of the EPA is to gradually transform the relationship between Western African countries and the EU from one of dependency to one of mutual trade partners in the long run and to establish a trade relationship which is compatible with WTO rules. allAfrica
Posted on: Tue, 13 May 2014 05:27:07 +0000