Monrovia: The European Union and Liberia have signed a 6.9 million United States Dollars agreement for the pavement of a 47 kilo meter road between Sanniquuelle and Loguatuo along the Ivorian border.
The head of the European Union delegation to Liberia, Ambassador Helen Cave signed on behalf of her institution while the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah signed on behalf of the Liberian government.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Monrovia Thursday, Ambassador Cave said the road will connect Liberia to Ivory Coast and facilitate as well as improve regional connectivity and trade between the two countries.
She noted that the European Union regional envelope for West Africa also allocated EUR 14.2 million to the project and the European Investment Bank (EIB) is expected to contribute EUR 17 million.
Ambassador Cave said project includes the construction of a one stop border post at Loguatuo to enable authorities monitor imports and exports to and from the country.
“The road will connect Liberia to Ivory Coast and will facilitate and improve regional connectivity and trade between the two counties. Of course, it will improve living conditions and the wellbeing of the population living in the area,” Amb. Cave said.
According to the EU Ambassador, the Sanniquelle to Loguatuo road is the only remaining section of the West Africa Highway linking Nouakchott to Lagos, via Dakar that had not yet secured a financing.
“With this EUR six million (USD 6.87m) that we signed today and another 14.2 million EUR that have been secure from EU Western Africa regional funds, the total grant from the EU comes to 20.2 million EUR,” Ambassador Cave said.
For his part, Finance and Development Planning Minister, Samuel Tweah lauded the EU on behalf of the Liberian government for the support.
According to the Finance and Development Planning Minister, the road will also have revenue implication through the one stop border point which is critical to the domestic resource mobilization strategy.
According to Minister Tweah, the act of generating the right and direct revenues through the one stop shop will help the government’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development deliver its objectives by meeting the hope and aspirations of the Liberian people.
“Our government is working and ensuring that its partners realize the dividends of development initiatives,” MFDP boss disclosed.
According to him, the Government of Liberia will take aggressive steps to grow its revenue.
“We also have to make road development work better for the private sector in term of growth and development,” Minister Tweah said.
