Road Network Rehabilitation Project

The Road Network Rehabilitation Project is a major infrastructure rehabilitation project in the Union of Comoros¹. The project contributes to the implementation of the Union of Comoros’ Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Sustainable Development (SCA2D)ⁱ and is in line with the National Road Transport Master Plan (PDNTR 2015-2025)ⁱⁱ and Transport Sector Policy (PST 2021- 2025)^{iii 2}. The project aims to improve the quality of road infrastructure to increase trade and improve access to essential services and the living conditions of the population³.

The project encompasses four main components:

• Road works: It includes rehabilitation works on the RN2 and RN23, located on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan respectively, in addition to protection against sea erosion and raising the population’s awareness⁴;
• Support for women’s empowerment: It includes the “(i) rehabilitation and equipment of social and economic infrastructure; and (ii) building management capacity of businesses”⁵;
• Institutional Support: This focuses on capacity building and technical assistance using procurement and institutional reform specialists⁶;
• Project management and monitoring: This includes support to the project implementing agency, monitoring and assessing its results, and increasing visibility⁷.

Notably, the project involved public consultations through direct meetings with local residents to discuss the interim findings⁸. Stakeholders assessed the project’s social acceptability, focusing on the impact of road works on adjacent properties, and compensation terms for affected parties (PAPs). This information was then shared with regional mayors or local village leaders⁹.

The project has three phases:

• Phase I [2016-2022]: Involves the rehabilitation works on the RN2 and RN23¹⁰. French civil engineering construction company EIFFAGE had been awarded the works contract, and CIRA – BECECO consortium was tasked with work control¹¹. Despite challenges including delays and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as disputes with the contracting company, significant portions of the work, such as the rehabilitation works on the RN2 road, Moroni-Mitsoudjé section (11 km), and RN23, Sima-Moya section (26.5 km) have been completed¹². In addition, several capacity building activities were implemented with women, including training 340 women in business activities management, and the rehabilitation of 10 association sites for women’s organizations¹³.
• Phase II [2019- 2025]: Focuses on the remainder of the work planned for the Panda-Ifoundihé Section of the NR 2, covered with additional financing from the ADF. This phase also aims at continued support to women’s financial empowerment, protection of the coast against marine erosion, construction of a bridge over the M’poundre River, and institutional support¹⁴.
• Phase III [2022 – 2026]: It consists of the rehabilitation of 30.2 km of roads on the three islands of the Union of the Comoros, namely: selected sections of the RN2 (Ouroveni-Foumbouni), RN21 (Domoni-Mremani), and RN32 (Wallah-Nioumachoua) Roads¹⁵.

The project was initiated by the Government of Comoros in 2016¹⁶, with major funding from the African Development Bank (ADF) and the European Union (EU) (later cancelled), and in partnership with the UNDP, which contributes to women’s empowerment activities under the project’s umbrella¹⁷. The National Directorate of Road Transport of the Ministry of Transport, Post & Telecommunication has been tasked with overseeing the planning and execution¹⁸.