EU pledges €15m for regional projects

The European Union has concluded plans to finance the research, as well as technical support to the tune of €15 million, towards the construction of regional Highway network from Lagos to Abidjan.

After the plan was scripted in 2005 by member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in Abuja, to facilitate trade and promote regional integration, the EU said it is now ready to participate fully in the project through collaboration with the Africa Development Bank.

The EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Michel Arrion, said plans are already under way to raise funds by his member states, as they have realised that exportation to the global market must start within the region, to attain sustainable economic development.

“Until recently, road transit across the region has been unreliable. The situation, however, is improving gradually as international trade corridors are being rehabilitated and many police checkpoints that were slowing down traffic and being used to solicit bribes have been removed.

“Yet even in those improved conditions, a private car could take up to 18 hours to travel from Lagos to Togo. For freight transport, travel times are even longer; drivers could spend up to three or four days on the road,” he noted

Arrion believes that the projected regional highway network is expected to speed up transit times for freight and reduce the prices of consumer goods movement within the region.

The highway would also provide the vital links to some very vibrant sea ports for all the landlocked countries in the region, including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic.

“Once it is completed, the whole network will only take two days from Lagos to Abidjan, as border check-points will be completely removed, this will bring immense benefits to the west African economy and boost trade relation, obstacles to the smooth flow goods, trade and movement of persons.

“Contrary to ECOWAS texts on Free Movement and inter-state road transport facilitation, various degrees of harassment and extortions are suffered by cross-border traders and travellers with appropriate documents. This need not be so.

“This is why the EU is committed to helping address the problem through the study of current situation by pooling resources and efforts to improve this corridor that holds the key to unlocking the economic potentials of the region.

“The corridor is one of the main economic drivers of West Africa, accounting for more than 75% of economic activities in the ECOWAS region. With a total population of over 35 million inhabitants, the corridor connects some of the largest and economically viable countries in the region,” he said.