With 16 landlocked countries – more than any other continent – Africa must urgently scale up investment in trade corridors linking its interior to seaports. These connections are costly – the Lobito Corridor alone requires up to $2.3bn – and better integration between intra-African trade routes and global markets remains a challenge. But innovative blended finance models, like AfDB’s €157m upgrade to Burkina Faso-Côte d’Ivoire road links, are gaining ground, while Morocco’s Tanger Med and Nador West Med ports are emerging as strategic gateways for inland corridors. How can governments, DFIs and investors fund trade corridors in Africa’s heartlands while defining regulatory frameworks, cross-border agreements, and governance models?
Key points:
- Sovereign bonds, blended finance, Corridor Special Purpose Vehicles: What innovative mechanisms can help to finance inland trade corridors?
- Which road or rail links are in urgent need of finance for construction or rehabilitation?
- How can regional cooperation and policy alignment accelerate the development of inland trade corridors?