The Praia-Dakar Maritime Link Should Be Operational by the End of 2026
Through this project, ECOWAS intends to turn the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan corridor into a genuine West African economic hub, driving economic development and regional integration
- Strategic maritime connection linking Cabo Verde with mainland West Africa.
- Connects eight ECOWAS member states: Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.
- Multimodal: Includes road, rail and maritime components.
The implementation of Praia-Dakar maritime link will mark an important step in regional integration within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). A workshop to evaluate and validate the various financial options for implementing the Praia-Dakar maritime link opened on Monday, 30th of June 2025 in Dakar, Senegal.
The aim of this workshop is to define the management and operating procedures, analyse the financial viability and the most appropriate governance models for this maritime link, anticipate the socio-economic and environmental impacts, and propose mitigation measures. It also intends to identify mixed financing mechanisms (public-private partnership, regional funds) and propose a monitoring and evaluation plan incorporating performance and sustainability indicators.
Speaking on behalf of Sédiko Douka, Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitisation of the ECOWAS Commission, Chris Appiah, Director of Transport of the ECOWAS Commission, reiterated the crucial importance of the Praia-Dakar maritime link in strengthening economic integration and increasing regional trade. “The Praia-Dakar maritime link, once implemented, will link Cabo Verde, an island state, to the other states of West Africa” said Chris Appiah. He expressed his gratitude to the technical and financial partners supporting ECOWAS in the implementation of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan transport corridor project.
Mamoudou Alassane Camara, Senegal’s Director General of Road Infrastructure and Opening-up, and Chairman of the Committee of Experts from the Member States of the Praia-Dakar maritime link, also expressed his gratitude to these partners. He stressed the need and the obligation for West Africans to work towards the realisation of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan transport corridor project. This multimodal project, he said, should contribute to the development of West Africa. “We must ensure that the vision of ECOWAS leaders for the implementation of this project becomes a reality. We must move forward together. Together, we can achieve a great deal. What unites us is more important than what divides us” he said.
For his part, the Director General of the Senegalese Maritime Affairs Agency, Becaye Diop, informed the audience of the strategic importance of this project for his country and Cabo Verde. For him, this project has received renewed interest and attention since the visit to Praia, in Cabo Verde, on the 24th of May 2024, by the Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, he made a commitment with the Cape Verdean authorities to set up the Dakar-Praia maritime link to improve trade and strengthen economic and social cooperation between Senegal and Cabo Verde.
The Dakar-Praia maritime link, scheduled to be operational by the end of 2026, is a component of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan multimodal transport corridor project. Considered strategic, it should be the subject of a specific management model proposal.
As for the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan multimodal transport corridor project, it represents an essential element of the wider strategy of ECOWAS aimed at facilitating the free movement of people and goods within the Community area, strengthening trade cooperation, promoting economic development and stimulating regional trade.
Considered one of the essential steps towards a more integrated and prosperous West Africa, this regional corridor, which aims to connect the capitals and port areas of eight ECOWAS member states, aims to integrate several modes of transport: road, rail and sea. These states are Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
Through this project, ECOWAS intends to turn the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan corridor into a genuine West African economic hub, driving economic development and regional integration.