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The Government of The Gambia and the World Bank have officially launched the Gambia Infrastructure Project, a 52.6 million US dollar flagship initiative aimed at strengthening climate-resilient infrastructure, improving service delivery, and enhancing institutional capacity across key sectors to support sustainable socio-economic development.The six-year project, which is expected to run until June 2031, focuses on upgrading road corridors, boosting electricity transmission and distribution reliability, and digital public service systems, offering solutions to strengthen institutional capacity for infrastructure planning, among others.Speaking at the launch, Baboucarr Boye, the Gambia's Minister for Public Service, said the project is firmly aligned with the Recovery Focused National Development Plan and reflects the government's unwavering commitment to inclusive growth, climate resilience, and effective service delivery."The project comes at a critical juncture in our development journey. As our economy continues to expand, driven by construction, agricultural, services, and infrastructure investment, the demand for reliable transport networks and stable energy systems has never been greater," Boye said.Nani Juwara, The Gambia's Petroleum, Energy and Mines Minister, highlighted the expected impact of the project on the country's energy sector, saying the project will make significant contributions in addressing persistent challenges in electricity transmission and distribution while expanding access to reliable power, particularly for communities, at the last mile connection.The project will support the extension and densification of the electricity network in 80 rural communities, involving the construction of approximately 142 km of medium voltage lines, 350 km of low voltage lines, and 92 medium voltage to low voltage substations alongside the provision of prepaid meters for beneficiary communities.Franklin Mutahakana, the World Bank's Resident Representative in the Gambia, urged the implementing team to engage beneficiaries and obtain feedback, especially from the vulnerable, as he affirmed the World Bank's commitment to the implementation."Allow me to reiterate the World Bank Group's commitment to supporting and guiding the implementation of this project. Successful implementation is our shared joy. We also have to remember that a failed implementation will be our shared failure, and none of us likes failure. So let's strive to work together and generate the success that we've been looking for. It's the Bank's desire to register positive and effective implementation" Franklin said.In his launching statement, Ebrima Sillah, the Minister for Transport, Works and Infrastructure, said the pillars of the project, which include the upgrading of critical roads, the expansion of access to electricity, and the strengthening of key institutions, “form the backbone of any serious national development agenda.”Sillah also said he can “confidently confirm” that those investments are “fully aligned with the National Development Plan and enjoy the government's full backing with the highest level of support from His Excellency the President of the Republic Adama Barrow.""We owe it to the Gambian people to manage these resources prudently, to uphold transparency and accountability, and to deliver maximal value for every dalasi invested,” he stated.The Gambia has witnessed a massive transformation in the expansion of road networks and electricity, and stakeholders are hopeful that this project will help to further ameliorate remaining challenges in critical areas.
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