• Burkina Faso launches rehabilitation of Bobo-Dioulasso–Banfora and Banfora–Orodara roads
• Projects worth 81 billion CFA francs aim to boost mobility and trade
• Upgrades strengthen logistics corridor linking Burkina Faso to Abidjan port

Burkina Faso's Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo on Saturday launched rehabilitation work on the Bobo-Dioulasso–Banfora road and paving work on the Banfora–Orodara route.

The government said the projects are intended to improve the mobility of people and goods and support the economic development of the areas concerned.

Work on the Bobo-Dioulasso–Banfora corridor covers an 84.7-kilometre stretch and is valued at 63 billion CFA francs (about $109.5 million) excluding tax. Completion is scheduled within 24 months.

The paving of the Banfora–Orodara road, covering 42 kilometres along National Road No. 11, is valued at more than 18 billion CFA francs excluding tax and is expected to be completed within 18 months.

Both projects are financed by the Burkinabe state with support from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). According to the bank, the works will reduce transport costs and transit times while improving access to port markets and to agricultural and mining production zones.

The projects come as Burkina Faso, a landlocked country, seeks to optimise its logistics chain by developing its road network, which serves as the main conduit for its imports and exports. Located roughly 50 kilometres from the border with Côte d’Ivoire, Banfora is a key link in that chain, with the port of Abidjan serving as a strategic hub along the corridor.

Henoc Dossa