Senegal, the westernmost point of Africa, is known as the "West Africa Gateway". 75 kilometers east of the country ’s capital, Dakar, the Jess-Tuba Expressway, under construction by China Road and Bridge Engineering Co., Ltd., is under construction, and hundreds of mechanical equipment are busy on the construction site.
Construction started on this highway in 2016, which will connect the country's two important cities, Ties and Touba, and is designed as a fully enclosed two-way four-lane road with a total length of about 113 kilometers. This project is the largest single project in economic and trade cooperation between China and Serbia, and the largest single infrastructure construction project since Senegal ’s independence. When completed, it will greatly promote the development of transportation in the country and bring the “China Speed” to the highest in West Africa. West end. For Senegal, the key cooperation areas mentioned in the "Belt and Road" are highly consistent with its "Senegal Revitalization Plan". The construction of highways will help promote the construction of connectivity in Senegal.
Zhang Jianguo, general manager of China Road and Bridge Senegal Branch, said that the implementation of this project will bring many benefits to the economic development along the route, for example, all construction materials are purchased locally. "The areas along the highway are rich in peanuts and fruits, and they will be easily transported out after the highway is built."
The expressway not only facilitates the travel of residents along the route, but also brings personal development opportunities to locals. After the project started, the Chinese company organized technical training for local employees, offered Chinese courses, and selected outstanding overseas employees every year and subsidized them to visit the company headquarters in China.
Raba Tiam is an outstanding local female employee working on the project. She told reporters that since she started working in China Luqiao, she began to live independently and no longer depend on her parents to support herself. Tiam said that China Luqiao welcomes female employees to join, "I hope that more Senegalese women will join the company and use their own strength to strive for women's equal status with men in society."
