The poor condition of roads is a major obstacle to the transport of goods in southern Madagascar. To facilitate market access and streamline trade, the Corridor Development and Trade Facilitation Project, Phase III (PACFC III), was launched on October 28 at the Carlton Hotel in Antananarivo. Funded with $229.47 million, this program includes road infrastructure works and measures to improve the flow of goods.
Several projects are planned, including the development and paving of 78 km of road between Bevoay and Morombe, the construction of a 22 km bypass at Fiherenana, and interventions on the Manombo and Belalanda bridges. These infrastructures are expected to facilitate travel and accelerate the transport of products to markets, particularly in the Atsimo-Andrefana region.
“This will be beneficial for us, and we are happy about it. Once the work is finished, we will no longer lose so much time on the road,” says Jean Reggis Randrianandrasana, a Toliara resident visiting Antananarivo. For users, reducing travel time is a key expectation.
However, the PACFC III is not limited to road infrastructure. It also includes the improvement of customs and port services, the establishment of a maritime single window, and the creation of a goods inspection laboratory. The goal is to simplify trade procedures, facilitate national and international trade, and strengthen product quality control. According to Émile Joseph, Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Works, the projects are also expected to utilize local labor, particularly technicians, thereby opening up employment opportunities in the intervention areas.
Through this program, the challenge is to enable producers and traders to better benefit from the wealth of the South. Improving infrastructure and simplifying trade must contribute to facilitating the flow of products and strengthening the region’s economic opportunities.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-29 06:23:46 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/infrastructures-le-sud-elargit-son.html
