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Burkina Faso has begun construction on its first highway, a 332-kilometre highway linking the capital Ouagadougou with Bobo-Dioulasso in the country’s southwest, a major infrastructure milestone for the landlocked Sahel country.
The project was launched by the country’s military leaders near Ouagadougou. ibrahim traorean ambitious state-led program aimed at modernizing Burkina Faso’s infrastructure under the Faso Mebo Initiative.
Officials say at least $357 million has been earmarked for the project in the 2026 national budget, with the funding coming from locally generated revenue rather than external borrowing. The government has positioned the expressway as a strategic economic corridor that improves domestic mobility while strengthening regional trade routes.
Once completed, the highway is expected to ease traffic flows between Burkina Faso and major West African ports such as Abidjan, Lomé, Tema and Cotonou, providing faster and more reliable links between coastal economies and the Sahel region.
Officials say the highway will support trade, logistics and economic integration within the Sahel Association, and contribute to long-term development goals through improved transport efficiency and regional connectivity.
For a country often defined internationally by insecurity and political transition, the opening of its first highway signals a different narrative, one focused on infrastructure, self-financed development and regional relevance. Africa’s journey is still young, shaped by countries building on its foundations rather than inherited advantages, and projects like this highlight that the continent is still paving the way for the future, with momentum, ambition and room to grow.
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