On Wednesday, July 24, the Council of Ministers of Mali approved a loan agreement from the International Development Association (IDA — World Bank). This facility is granted in order to implement the World Bank's Connectivity and Resilience Improvement Program.

The program aims to open up Mali and give it the means to deal with shocks affecting the quality of roads. The facility worth FCFA 133.3 billion (approximately USD 238 million) is intended in particular for the construction of the Sandaré - Diéma road and the improvement of 200 km of rural roads. Indeed, the project will improve the connectivity of important road corridors, according to the government. The Diéma - Sandaré section, which measures approximately 137.7 km, is part of the Bamako-Dakar corridor, a key axis for the country's trade.

The Bamako - Dakar corridor is one of Mali's two main logistical axes, the other being the one leading to Abidjan. Together, they make it possible to transport import/export flows via the ports of Dakar (Senegal) and San Pedro (Côte d'Ivoire), two strategic platforms for the