AN agreement has been signed that will see the French Development Agency (AFD) provide a €173m sovereign loan and the European Union (EU) €30m for the PMS programme to upgrade the 648km Libreville - Franceville Transgabonais Railway.
The agreement was signed during the official visit of the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, to Libreville on November 24, in the presence of the president of Gabon, Brice Oligui Nguema.
The main objective is to improve reliability on the Transgabonais Railway with a €203m investment package that will repair unstable sections of the alignment and upgrade critical infrastructure, ensuring long-term sustainability. Capacity will be increased to provide up to 16 paths per day, or eight trains in each direction.
The upgrade programme also includes developing passenger services and modernising stations. Support will be provided for a project to strengthen the institutional capability of both the government of Gabon and the Gabon and Transgabonais Operating Company (Setrag), which holds a 30-year operating concession.
AFD says that the programme fits within Gabon’s economic diversification strategy by supporting the mining, forestry and agricultural sectors and opening up the interior of the country. It also aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy to invest in high-quality, sustainable infrastructure.
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