The West African Development Bank (BOAD) continues to support key infrastructure projects across the WAEMU region. Meeting on 18 December 2025 in Lomé, Togo, the Bank’s Board of Directors approved the financing of a major road project in Burkina Faso: the rehabilitation and paving of the Bobo-Dioulasso–Orodara–Malian Border road, spanning 130 kilometers.
The decision was taken during the 149th ordinary session of the Board of Directors, held in a hybrid format under the chairmanship of Serge Ekué, President of BOAD. The project amounts to CFA franc 20 billion, underscoring the regional development bank’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and logistics fluidity in West Africa.
A vital corridor for regional trade and logistics
A true backbone of trade in western Burkina Faso, the Bobo-Dioulasso–Orodara–Malian Border road plays a central role in the movement of goods and people between Burkina Faso and Mali. It crosses Kénédougou Province, one of the country’s main agricultural hubs, and serves a network of seven municipalities, including Bobo-Dioulasso, Orodara and Koloko, which are deeply integrated into regional trade circuits.
Upgrading this corridor addresses critical logistics challenges: improving traffic safety, reducing transit times and lowering transport costs for economic operators. It is expected to strengthen the competitiveness of key local value chains—cotton, mangoes, cashew nuts and cereals—which rely heavily on reliable road infrastructure.
Beyond its national importance, the route forms part of the Sikasso–Bobo-Dioulasso cross-border corridor, contributing to economic integration within WAEMU and ECOWAS. Its rehabilitation will facilitate the flow of goods toward Gulf of Guinea ports, while limiting
