• Reference: P-TN-DB0-007
• Approval date: 28/11/2001
• Start date: 24/01/2003
• Appraisal Date:
• Status: OngoingOnGo
• Location:
• Implementing Agency:

Context

In 1996, as part of the upgrading of the transport sector with a view to  speeding up the opening of the economy, the Government developed a sector strategy for the 1995-2005 period aimed henceforth at implementing essential reforms and modernization investments necessary to establish an efficient, high quality transport system which would support the country’s economic growth and contribute to the achievement of export competitiveness objectives.

In the road sub-sector, significant rehabilitation investments amounting to TND 905.8 million were made over the 1997-2001 period in order to preserve existing roads and improve service levels on the paved network. The Bank played an active part in the implementation of this programme by financing 3 loans for a cumulative amount of UA 180.2 million (about TND 268 million).   While pursuing the same objective under the 10th Plan (2002-2006), the Government formulated an even more ambitious investment programme for an indicative amount of TND 4.015 billion and proposed for Bank financing, given the success of the previous projects, an overall operation concerning the improvement of 1,650 km of roads and the strengthening of 650 km of roads. 

Rationale

The project, through its induced effects on socioeconomic development, contributes towards the intensification of trade between the different regions concerned and the facilitation of access by the population to local and regional socioeconomic infrastructure (health centres, schools, etc).  It will thus improve living conditions through better health coverage and increased literacy rates, which are fairly low among women in remote areas of the country. As a result, its implementation should enable the inhabitants of the project areas to benefit from the significant savings in vehicle travel costs by making their production more competitive, and to buy consumer goods at more affordable prices. In addition, the improvement of roads will significantly reduce traffic accidents caused by narrow roads and their poor condition.

Objective

The specific project objective is to improve the classified network capacity in order to remove the constraints related to width and the structural condition of the carriageways of paved classified roads and eliminate other bottlenecks in order to reduce transport costs and foster the development of trade among the different regions concerned. The objectively verifiable indicators (OVI) for measuring project performance relative to objectives are given in the project matrix.

Description

The project comprises:   

A. Road works:  namely

1. rehabilitation (widening and strengthening) of a cumulative linear total of 476 km of paved roads;
2. strengthening of 640 km of roads; and
3. construction of 21 structures on the classified network to replace rickety and insecure crossings.

B. Provision of services related to:

• control and monitoring of construction work;
• geotechnical control of works and quality control; and
• works supervision and project monitoring by the Directorate General for Roads and Bridges which is the project Executing Agency.

Impact

In addition to its contribution to supporting economic growth by reducing transport costs, the project will have significant socioeconomic effects in its areas of influence, which account for 75% of the population. The current project benefits in particular the inhabitants of zones in the interior of the country (Northwest, Centre West, and Southwest regions) where the relative under-equipment in respect of basic infrastructure, especially roads, has resulted in a slower rate of socioeconomic development than in the coastal zones. Indeed, the areas in the West of the country, where the principal activities are agricultural and agro-pastoral and to a lesser extent industry and services, have the country's highest unemployment rates (about 20% compared to 16% nationally). This primarily concerns youth and graduate unemployment which is becoming increasingly widespread, causing them to leave their areas of origin and move to the peri-urban areas of the coastal towns to seek a better situation. 

Improvement of road infrastructure following implementation of the current project will facilitate access to the areas concerned thereby creating economic momentum from the creation of employment opportunities as well as a specialization of human resources to invest in new activities adapted to the socioeconomic context of these areas.

SANGARE Modibo - OINF2

Finance source	Amount
ADB	UAC 101,971,322
Government	UAC 46,222,639
Delta	UAC 252
Total	UAC 148,194,214