The ECOWAS Commission organized a field visit for regional road engineers and transport experts to Senegal’s key infrastructure projects on June 28, 2025. This visit was part of the final technical review workshop for the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan Corridor Technical Studies.
The experts visited the “Train Express Régional” (TER) Dakar Railway Service and the Dakar-Diamniadio-Thies Highway. The initiative aims to leverage local expertise in implementing major regional corridor highway and railway projects. It also seeks to develop uniform transport infrastructure across ECOWAS Member States by sharing experiences from successful models in Senegal.
The TER Dakar urban railway service, spanning 36 kilometers with 13 stations and 15 dual-mode trains, serves as a vital mode of transportation for peri-urban commuters around Dakar. During their visit, experts experienced the train service firsthand and discussed operations, signalization, scheduling, maintenance, and policies promoting local skill development in rail services. They also explored facilities such as the railway operations room and maintenance center.
Participants visited the Dakar-Diamniadio concession highway and Diamniadio-Thies Highways, which share design specifications with key regional corridors like Dakar-Abidjan and Abidjan-Lagos highways. Discussions focused on design principles, financing models, traffic surveillance, road safety, tolling, revenue management, and developing local expertise through Public-Private financing options.
These infrastructure projects demonstrate regional potential through home-grown initiatives addressing financing gaps while fostering local expertise for sustainable operations. The railway service and highways offer urban mobility solutions, job opportunities for youth, and contribute significantly to economic development.
This visit was part of validating the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan Projects Corridor workshop. It provided hands-on experiences applicable to major regional transport infrastructure projects and similar national peri-urban mass transportation initiatives.