Linking, connecting, bringing prosperity: the role of strategic corridors in Africa

In a world where business flows greatly impact the competitiveness of countries, transport infrastructure is more than just a logistics facility: it is the foundation of today’s geopolitical dynamics and key to Africa’s economic development.

It is against this backdrop that the European Union launched the Global Gateway – an investment plan to mobilise EUR 150 billion in Africa by 2027 – for the development of sustainable, connected infrastructure. Transportation is one of the priority areas of the Global Gateway. Enabel is playing an active role in this initiative by supporting the modernisation of strategic transport corridors, notably the Cotonou-Niamey, Abidjan-Lagos, Abidjan-Ouagadougou and Dar es Salaam-Kigoma corridors.

A shared vision for connecting Africa and Europe

A strategic corridor is a major transport route that, beyond linking production centres to consumer markets, also enhances the movement of people, particularly in rural areas. Ports play a key role here: with 80% of Africa’s foreign trade passing through its ports, port infrastructure is vital for importing and exporting goods as well as for the economic development of landlocked countries such as those in the Sahel.

The Cotonou-Niamey corridor, for example, links the Port of Cotonou (in Benin) to the domestic markets of the Sahel (Niger and Burkina Faso in particular), thus affecting some 34 million people living near the more than 1,000 kilometres of roads.

The corridor begins at the Port of Cotonou, where Enabel has worked with the port authorities for a long time: since 2018, Enabel and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges have been involved in a strategic modernisation of the port by strengthening its infrastructure, improving its competitiveness and professionalising port activities. As a result of this joint support, the Port of Cotonou was able to increase the flow of transiting goods by 45% between 2010 and 2019, to stimulate investments, which strengthened the Port as a public actor, and to put in place environmental impact monitoring tools, which enabled the Port to obtain Ecoport certification.

From Cotonou to Dar es Salaam: port efficiency and regional connection

Through the Global Gateway, Enabel, in partnership with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, TradeMark Africa and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), is continuing to support the Cotonou-Niamey corridor. Safe road infrastructure is developed, transportation costs are reduced and local jobs are created as local agricultural production gets connected with regional markets.

But the effectiveness of these corridors also depends on the harmonisation of regulations and administrative procedures: considerable efforts are made to smoothen traffic within the Port of Cotonou. Harmonising customs regulations at national and regional level, digitising customs processes and supporting the development of a dry port*, located on the outskirts of the Port, will facilitate the work of port employees and enhance the security of its goods.

At the other end of the continent, the Dar es Salaam-Kigoma corridor in Tanzania is part of a similar dynamic: Together with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, TradeMark Africa and UN Habitat, Enabel is working to optimise operations and the transit of goods through the Port of Dar es Salaam. TradeMark Africa provides invaluable support by digitising customs processes and managing non-tariff barriers. Finally, in Dar es Salaam, UN Habitat is supporting the development of electric means of transport (buses, tuk-tuk).

Transportation and development: a lever for a sustainable future

The strategic corridors are more than just a logistical and economic initiative. They are also and above all aimed at empowering local entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurs, farmers and local communities will benefit directly from the modernisation of the infrastructure.

By providing better connections, strategic corridors give local communities easier access to essential services such as health and education. After all, corridors also improve the movement of people, particularly in rural areas. Opening up isolated areas strengthens links between communities and facilitates regional integration, thereby promoting stability and cohesion.

Finally, in a context of ecological transition, strategic corridors must incorporate environment-friendly transport solutions. Enabel promotes sustainable approaches that minimise the carbon footprint of infrastructure, encourages the adoption of environment-friendly modes of transport and promotes land-use planning that is mindful of natural resources. These efforts aim to mitigate the impacts of climate change while ensuring balanced and resilient development.

*A dry port is an inland terminal linked by road or rail to a seaport, serving as a transit centre for sea freight to inland destinations.