Could Côte d’Ivoire become the second African country to operate a high-speed train after Morocco, which launched its service in late 2018? The West African nation’s government aims to build a high-speed line connecting Abidjan, the economic capital, with Yamoussoukro, the political capital founded by former president Félix Houphouët-Boigny in his birthplace. The 640-kilometre railway would cut travel time between the two cities to just 45 minutes, compared to nearly three hours by road today. The high-speed trains would then continue northward, serving Bouaké, the country’s second-largest city, as well as Korhogo and Ferkessédougou.
The project will proceed with further feasibility and funding studies. It also aims to boost Yamoussoukro’s attractiveness and ease congestion in Abidjan, where housing costs are high. Locally, the TGV is seen as a positive step if Côte d’Ivoire decides to bid for hosting the 2038 FIFA World Cup. However, its chances of winning the sporting event are slim, as Morocco will already serve as the African host in 2030.
Boosting economic development through transport
As part of a massive €175 billion economic growth plan largely focused on transport, the Ivorian government under Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé has included the high-speed rail project in its National Development Programme 2026-2030. Other initiatives include the new Abidjan metro, expected by 2029, construction of new roads and a thousand kilometres of highways, as well as two airports in San Pedro and Bondoukou, located in the southwest and northeast respectively. President Alassane Ouattara, who has led Côte d’Ivoire since 2011, intends for these projects—and perhaps the TGV in the future—to symbolise the country’s economic and social modernisation.
