Justice Ministers and road infrastructure experts are meeting from the 28^th of February to the 3^rd of March 2017 on the second phase of the Dakar-Abidjan Corridor (DAH) and highway Development project in Monrovia, Liberia.

The meeting which is at the instance of the ECOWAS Commission is meant to discuss and finalize a Corridor Treaty to provide an oversight framework for the Development of the Dakar-Abidjan Corridor Highway.

The Meeting will also agree on Terms of Reference for the Feasibility and Design Study for the construction of the proposed Six Lane Highway from Dakar to Abidjan through the seven Corridor Member States of The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Apart from the feasibility and design study, other primary objectives of the Meeting is agreeing on the Program Development Strategic Document and the preparation of a Project Treaty to be presented to the Heads of State for their endorsement at the next summit of the authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and government in May, 2017.

In her keynote address at the opening of the meeting, the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Infrastructure Dr. Antoinette G. Weeks charged stakeholders to ‘wear the Caps of the Ordinary citizen’ whose life and well-being the highway project seeks to touch.

She implored all those concerned with the project to personally continue ‘pushing to ensure the timely delivery of the Dakar-Abidjan Corridor Highway, as envisaged by our respective Presidents’

The 6-Lane Multinational Highway is being constructed to support the ECOWAS Regional Integration Agenda, stimulate investments, economic as well as social development in the Countries, reduce poverty, improve security and enhance accessibility within Region.

The Monrovia Meeting follows the April, 2016 Inaugural Meeting of Ministers and Experts of Road Infrastructure and Justice where the seven countries pledged their commitment to develop the DAC Highway Project, as a continuation of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Project and part of the Trans-Africa Highway (TAH) Number 7 beginning from Dakar to Lagos.
After the Ministers review, a report would be presented to the respective Heads of State and Governments for their approval and endorsement.

This presentation to the Heads of State will also include the Recommendations from the Final Ministerial Communiqué from the Banjul Meeting, which requested the formation of a Steering Committee, designation of the Committee’s chairperson, designation of a Champion President and the consideration of a Seed Fund contribution to be made by the Member States to demonstrate their commitment towards the development of this Project.Once endorsed by the Heads of State, the ECOWAS Commission will initiate the implementation of the DAC Highway Project.