Republic of Tunisia

Tunis – Jelma Motorway
Loan No: 647 Interest Rate: 2.5 %
Beneficiary: Ministry of Equipment, Housing and Spatial Planning Grace Period: 5 years
Project Cost: KD 177.2 million Maturity: 30 years
Amount of Loan: KD 50.0 million Repayment: 51 semi-annual installments
Date of Board Approval: - First Installment: 5 years following the first disbursement
Date of Loan Agreement: 2017-07-11 Date of Loan Effectiveness: -

Objectives:

The project aims at improving land transportation services on the road network in Tunisia, accommodating the rapidly growing road traffic, reducing traffic accidents, and contributing to the economic and social development of the country’s interior governorates, through the construction of the Tunis – Jelma motorway, which constitutes an important part of the Tunis – Kairouan – Sidi Bouzid – Kasserine and Gafsa motorway.

Description:

The project, which is expected to be completed by end of 2021, consists of the construction of the Tunis – Jelma motorway, which has a length of about 186 km and consists of 4 lanes, 2 in each direction, with a width of 7 m, a median dividing the two directions with a width ranging between 7 and 12 m, and outer shoulders on both sides of the road with a width of 3 m on each side. The project also consists of the rehabilitation of a connection of about 16 km to link the motorway with the city of El Fahs in the governorate of Zaghouan. The project comprises the following main components:

  1. Road Construction Works:This includes the execution of the necessary civil works related to the construction of the motorway and the rehabilitation of the connection to the city of El Fahs, drainage works, construction works for interchanges, large bridges over valleys, other over-passes and under-passes, culverts, construction of rest areas and toll stations, in addition to works related to traffic safety, landscaping, and others.
  2. Relocation of Utility Networks:This includes the relocation of the water, electricity and telephone networks, and others.
  3. Equipment and Devices:This includes the procurement and installation of equipment and devices related to the toll stations on the motorway.
  4. Consultancy Services:This includes the provision of the consultancy services required to assist the ministry in the supervision of the execution of the project and the technical control of the works.

Financing:

The Arab Fund’s loan covers about 28% of the total project cost. The European Investment Bank contributes to the financing of the project with a loan equivalent to about KD 85.7 million (about 48%). The Tunisian government will cover the remaining cost of the project and any additional cost that may arise.