Tunis, 29 June 2005 - The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional window of the African Development Bank (ADB) Group, on Wednesday in Tunis approved a loan to Senegal of 29 million Units of Account (UA*) equivalent to US$ 43 million to finance the Road Maintenance Project.

The main objective of the project is to improve the overall condition of the transport system. More specifically, the project will improve the repair and servicing of roads concerned, reduce transport costs and develop access to basic social services.

The key project components include:
 Road Works
 Institutional Support
 Project Management

The primary beneficiaries of the project will be the residents of over 80 localities through which the roads pass and neighbouring production and processing facilities. The other inhabitants will benefit indirectly through the connecting feeder roads. The project will particularly benefit the residents of Upper and Lower Casamance with the rehabilitation of 208.80 km of roads and a 640m-long bridge. It will also benefit users of the project roads by reducing vehicle operating costs. Moreover, the project will induce several socioeconomic benefits notably the creation of gainful employment during the project implementation phase, increasing incomes of the resident population resulting from the increased demand for agricultural, fishery and handicraft products, and contributing to the return of economic growth and improvement of the living conditions of the populations.

The Bank Group's operations in Senegal started in 1972. To date, the cumulative commitment of the ADB Group in the country amounts to US$ 865 million for 62 operations.

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© Press Release 2005