ABIDJAN, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Ivorian government on Wednesday ratified a treaty to build the 3,164km Praia-Dakar-Abidjan highway, a major infrastructure project linking eight countries from Cape Verde to Cote d'Ivoire via Senegal.
Following a cabinet meeting, the government "adopted a decree for the ratification of the treaty concerning the creation of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan transport corridor," said an official release.
In June, the Ivorian parliament authorized the government to ratify the treaty.
The Praia-Dakar-Abidjan highway is a flagship project of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It aims to facilitate the movement of goods and people along the corridor, stimulate economic development in the signatory states, and strengthen regional economic integration.
The project intends to connect the capitals and port areas of the eight member countries -- Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, and Sierra Leone -- through an integrated network of road, rail, and maritime links.
The African Development Bank (AfDB), a key partner in the project, said it has already mobilized 1.79 million U.S. dollars to fund preliminary studies.
Feasibility studies, along with environmental and social impact assessments, are expected to be conducted in the coming months, paving the way for the launch of construction. ■