France and Senegal signed on December 21 loan agreements for €195 million which are to be invested in the regional express train project (TER) that must link Dakar to the new Blaise Diagne de Diass international airport.

The loan agreements of the Treasury and the French Development Agency (AFD) were signed on the sidelines of a visit of Senegal’s President, Macky Sall, to France.

“This partnership is symbolic of modernity via the key regional express train project,” said Senegal’s President at a press conference.

“France is the only country, besides development banks, to support Senegal for such a project,” he added.

TER aims to unclog Dakar whose residents, about three million people, and automobilists especially, suffer heavy traffics. The project falls under the country’s plan for emergence (Plan Senegal Emergent) which was launched in 2014 by President Sall to make Senegal an emerging nation by 2035. It will be implemented mainly with French companies.

Senegal’s government already ordered 15 Coradia polyvalent bi-mode (diesel and electric) Alstom trains able to carry 400 people and travel at 160km/h. The contract’s amount is however yet to be disclosed.

The contract for railway’s construction was awarded to a consortium in which Eiffage holds 45%. Other stakeholders are Turkish Yapi Merkezi and Senegalese CSE. Amount for this contract is €373.5 million.

As for the contract for railway signaling, power supply and communication systems, it went to French firms Engie and Thales for €225 million.

SNCF and RATP also recently signed with Senegal an agreement to operate the network and take care of its maintenance.