The 1.36 billion euro technical and financial offer submitted by the Abidjan Railways for the construction of Abidjan Metro Line 1 has been approved.

On December 21, 2019, Mr. Amadou Koné, Minister of Transport of Côte d'Ivoire, signed the agreement, witnessed by President Ivorian Alasane Ouattara and French President Emmanuel Macron,

Bouygues Travaux Publics, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, is the project manager, while Alstom will provide rolling stock, signaling, telecommunications, warehouse equipment and lead system integration. Colas Rail is responsible for elements such as traction power and overhead electrification, as well as rail and ticketing and passenger information.

Keolis will operate these services using 20 Alstom 5-car urban trains. The line will be equipped with CBTC and will be able to carry more than 500,000 passengers per day.

The 37-kilometer line will include 18 stations from Ansan Center in the north to Abidjan Airport in the south. The project includes 24 bridges, an viaduct on Ébrié Lagoon, 34 walkways and 8 underground walkways.

According to the premise that the Ivorian government has completed the land acquisition and finalized the financing agreement with the French government, the first phase of construction may start at the end of 2020.Editor/Huang Lijun