The Trans-Saharan Road Liaison Committee (CLRT) is currently working on the establishment of a management plan covering northern Mali and Niger and the extreme south of Algeria, allowing the identification of shortcomings and To measure the stakes associated with the profitability of the construction of this road, said Tuesday in Algiers, the secretary general of the CLRT, Mohamed Ayadi.
“We intend to establish a management plan covering northern Mali, Niger and southern Algeria in order to give international institutions a clear approach so that they can help us in the completion of the road project “Said Mr. Ayadi on the progress of the work of the 66th session of the CLRT held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Algiers, in the presence of the representatives of the member countries of the Committee ( Algeria, Tunisia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Chad).
This plan will identify “inadequacies and measure the stakes in order to find a profitability for the construction of the road in certain areas of this region”, explained Mr. Ayadi, inviting the stakeholders to continue working together despite Financial and security problems in the region.
Noting that Algeria, which chairs the CLRT, did “remarkable work” with the completion of 1,700 kms for the completion of its part of this road, the head recalled that the project of the Trans-Saharan Route “will help enormously all Countries that want to trade with Africa in the future “.
In this sense, he explained that the entire project was finalized in Tunisia and Nigeria, whereas in Algeria, a 200-km segment has yet to be completed to connect the country to Mali and a second of 10 km to Mali. Join the Niger.
In Chad, he said, 650 kms still to be realized, 280 kms are under construction and 200 kms are experiencing financial problems, while in Niger of the 1,600 kms planned, a section of 200 kms remaining is currently in Construction by an Algerian company, while in Mali 700 kms are still on track.
Considering that the Trans-Saharan Highway will be a major “communication” axis for the development of commercial and economic activities, also opening new prospects for the development of the Sahel countries, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Ali Hammi, recalled in his speech that Algeria had mobilized over $ 3 billion from the state budget for the realization of this project.
In order to allow trade between Africa and Europe, Algeria has included the connection of this Trans-Saharan road with the penetrating motorway linking the port of Djen-Djen (Jijel) to the East-West motorway, Whose work is currently being carried out, as well as to the future center port of Cherchell being launched, thus constituting direct access to the major ports of the Mediterranean, said Hammi.
To this end, he said, this 66th session of the Committee not only provides an opportunity to “strengthen the ancestral ties between the countries of the region”, but also an ideal framework for evaluating the actions undertaken and continuing the coordination around Of the Committee’s future plan of action in order to achieve the best conditions for the completion of this project.
Sessions of this committee to exchange and update the technical information of each member country and to coordinate the mobilization of resources for the realization of the project and its socio-economic impact.
Launched in construction in the late 1960s, the Trans-Sahara stretches over 9,400 kms. Its central axis, which connects Algiers with Lagos (Nigeria), has several ramifications crossing Niger, Mali, Chad, and Tunisia.
