Madagascar: A $165 Million Loan to Open Up and Modernize the Country’s Southern Region

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The African Development Fund (ADF) has just confirmed a strategic investment of $165 million for transport and trade infrastructure development in southern Madagascar. This ambitious project aims to transform the economic prospects of two key regions: Atsimo Andrefana and Menabe.

Road Infrastructure: A Structuring Project

The project includes several major interventions on the road network:

    Development and paving of national road 55 (RNT55) over 78 kilometers between Bevoay and Morombe, in a 2×1 lane configuration
  • Rehabilitation of existing engineering structures
  • Doubling of the Manombo bridge on national road 9 (RN9)
  • Construction of two new two-lane bridges, representing a linear span of 460 meters

Expected Economic Impacts

This project goes far beyond simple infrastructure construction. It aims to:

    Open up a rich agricultural region, producing more than 29,000 tons of food products annually
  • Facilitate the flow of agricultural, livestock, and fishing production
  • Stimulate national and inter-regional commercial exchanges
  • Create new economic opportunities for local populations

Trade Facilitation

The trade component of the project will benefit several economic actors:

    Customs administration
  • Port stakeholders (ports of Tuléar and Beira)
  • Economic operators
  • Export and import companies
  • Start-ups and innovation ecosystems

Strategic Perspectives

Solomon Quaynor, Vice President of the African Development Bank Group, emphasizes that this project goes beyond infrastructure. It’s about “unblocking lifelines” that will open new economic and social perspectives.

Rural communities will benefit from better access to markets, health services, and education. The project is also expected to promote entrepreneurship and create sustainable jobs, particularly for women and young people.

This project illustrates the African Development Fund’s ongoing commitment to modernizing African infrastructure. By breaking down barriers in southern Madagascar, it lays the foundations for sustainable and inclusive economic transformation.

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