DAKAR — Senegal’s capital Dakar saw on Sunday the inauguration of the city’s Regional Express Train, a major project co-financed by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Senegal’s President Macky Sall and IsDB’s President Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser.

The express train, traveling at 160 kilometers per hour, will cover the distance between downtown Dakar and the new city of Diamniadio in nearly 20 minutes transporting around 115,000 passengers per day.

The project is considered the first express train service in Sub-Saharan Africa and will play a major role in tackling road traffic and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the capital Dakar. The city of 3 million hosts nearly 20 percent of the total population of the country and offers nearly 85 percent of nationwide job opportunities.

IsDB has provided 300 million euros for phase one of the project and is planning to invest another 100 million euros in phase II which, once operational, will provide cost-effective and environment-friendly travel on the 55-kilometer route between downtown Dakar to the Blaise Diagne International Airport, all in less than 50 minutes.

Other financiers to the project are the Governments of Senegal and France along with the African Development Bank (AfDB). However, the IsDB is the only financier who has committed to both phases of the project. — SPA