More than 10 days ago, two Maghreb countries, gateways to Africa, [announced] a project of strategic importance for the whole region. These two countries are Tunisia and Libya.
The project, according to Walid Keskes, who is a consultant in growth and internationalization strategy, is “a trade corridor aiming to link Tunisia to several sub-Saharan African countries, including Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic. This project aims to position Tunisia as a continental trade and logistics hub and strengthens Libya’s transit function.”
A corridor of several thousand kilometers
According to Keskes, who spoke about it on his LinkedIn page, “the corridor extends over several thousand kilometers and combines the modernization of existing roads and the construction of new infrastructure.
Port and logistics facilities will be improved to ensure fast and secure transit of goods. And traffic monitoring and management systems will be deployed to optimize flows and reduce delays.”
This information comes as the deep-water port project in Enfidha is taking so long to start that it almost becomes logical to doubt its realization and as the state of Tunisia’s main port, Rades, where the grip of STAM still has heavy consequences, remains what it is, with more visits from senior political officials than real and effective measures to improve performance.
Not to mention the financial problems of Tunisair, which make it a company not yet ready to take a market share in the commercial fallout of this next Gateway!
A project financed by a combination of public funds
As for the financial setup and the stakeholders, still according to Walid Keskes, “the project is financed by a combination of Tunisian and Libyan public funds, with the support of international financial institutions.”
Private companies, according to the same source and his post published on a professional social network, will be involved in the construction and operation of the infrastructure. The Tunisian and Libyan authorities will ensure strategic supervision, with a joint committee for operational management.
Our source, however, gave no details on the identity of the professionals who could be involved in the management of this Africa Gateway, whether there will be a call for expressions of interest or a straightforward call for tenders.
A project that will enter into operation in 2029
According to its designers, the Africa Gateway would go through several phases. The first is planning. Planned for 2023 and 2024, one would assume that feasibility studies and financing structuring would have been completed.
The next phase is construction, scheduled between 2025 and 2028. This would involve the rehabilitation and construction of roads, and the development of logistics hubs.
Operation would be for 2029 and beyond. The launch of the trade corridor with joint management of the infrastructure would then become tangible.
Expected economic and geopolitical impacts
Walid Keskes then mentions the economic effects of this project. It would involve, according to him, the creation of thousands of jobs in construction, logistics, and trade.
Also, direct access to African markets for Tunisia, Libya, and the sub-Saharan countries concerned. And the strengthening of the economic and strategic sovereignty of the region.
“The Africa Gateway is therefore a structuring project which demonstrates the ability of Tunisia and Libya to create continental infrastructure with high added value.
It constitutes a vector of economic growth and competitiveness for North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa,” concludes the Tunisian consultant in growth and internationalisation strategy.
