Next year, the World Bank-backed Rural Accessibility Improvement Project (PAAR) in Mali will receive XOF13.07 billion. The project mainly focuses on building roads in rural areas.

This new financing will help develop 400 km of road, including 200 km in the Sikasso region and 200 km in Koulikoro. For 2020, PAAR also aims to build three bridges in the villages of Joungoula, Faniéna and N'Tiobougou, conduct training and awareness-raising campaign for 50 car and truck drivers, acquire 5,000 reflectors for road signs, and develop tools that will collect and analyze road safety data for the National Road Safety Agency (ANASER).

Launched in 2017, the PAAR runs until 2021. Its implementation requires a total of XOF45.3 billion, XOF3.3 billion of which will be provided by the Malian government and XOF42 billion by the World Bank.

Romuald Ngueyap