Work for an 88km stretch of the route has been carried out by Entreprise de viabilisation de Sidi Moussa (EVSM), a subsidiary of Groupe d’infrastructure des travaux routiers et ouvrages d’arts (Gitra). There are 10 Algerian contractors working on various sections of the road. Meanwhile, road materials required for the Mauritanian stretch of the route are being supplied by Mauritania under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) established between the two countries for the road project.
The Algerian Government has been managing the project through the Algerian Agency for International Cooperation for Solidarity and Development. Algeria has also been providing the financing and implementation for the project, with the route being operated under a 10-year concession.
The improved road link will be surfaced along its length, making journeys between the two countries across the Sahara less challenging. The route skirts Western Sahara, under Moroccan control. Zouerate is known for its large iron ore mining operations, a key factor in Mauritania’s GDP.
