"As I approach the border between Togo and Benin, I cross my fingers to spend the least amount of time
possible. Above all, I pray that the corridor will be completed quickly in order to make traffic flow more fluid."
Leaning on the front of his 20 construction work on the juxtaposed corridor between the two neighbouring countries in West Africa.
A few days ago, the truck driver left Abidjan, the Ivorian economic capital, for Cotonou. Il
is stationed with its cargo at the Togolese border crossing of Sanvee-Condji, waiting to continue its
route.
Samba Sidibé chose to lie under his truck. "We always want to save time
Borders. With the corridor, we will certainly gain a little more time," he says.
The corridor between Lomé and Cotonou, fully financed by the African Development Bank in
US$109 million, through the African Development Fund, is the solution to relieve traffic congestion and respond to the problems of road hauliers.
This structuring project in West Africa is part of the implementation of phase 1 of the Project
rehabilitation of the Lomé-Cotonou road and transport facilitation on the Abidjan-Lagos corridor. Sound
Objective: to unify control procedures at border crossing points with regard to
people, goods and means of transport. "We have set up modern means in
terms of infrastructure, equipment and administrative and customs processing with the aim of making the
smoother traffic and reduce the associated costs," says Dabilgou Wend-Lassida, Director of
construction work.
Three-quarters of the work has been completed, the work should be delivered in March 2020. The site has seen < release ofbr /> land an administrative block (two-storey building), a truck inspection area, a large warehouse
customs, five sanitary blocks, weighbridge and scanner control rooms and a building of
fire department to accommodate a team of firefighters.
Outside have been created a pedestrian control area, an animal park and a control room
veterinary, a shelter for truck drivers, a pedestrian shelter, lanes and parking for
vans as well as a supply and distribution network for electrical energy, water and telephone.
"The level of progress of each sector of the site has exceeded 60%. All work is therefore in
completion phase in order to allow on-time delivery. After that, we will have to lead the second
phase of the project that focuses on coastal protection," recalls Dabilgou Wend-Lassida.
Indeed, phase 2 of the Lomé-Cotonou Road Rehabilitation Project, approved in 2016, focuses on
the development, in 4 lanes, of the Ayépozo-Aného road section, 30 kilometres long. Its realization
will complete the missing link on the Togolese portion of the corridor. It includes construction
28 ears and sand reloading of the Togolese and Beninese coasts as well as the equipment of the sub
of juxtaposed control. The African Development Bank is expected to contribute 188
to the project millions of dollars.

"The construction of this single checkpoint aims to improve efficiency in transit and
increase the movement of people and goods within the region and particularly between the two countries",
summarizes Georges Bohoussou, head of the bank's country office in Togo.
"It is planned the interconnectivity of customs systems, also customs and immigration formalities se
will be in a single building, where the Togolese and Beninese border services will coexist. The time of
transit for travellers will be short Bohoussou.