As construction of the first toll highway in Madagascar began in December 2022, the project was expected to take four years from start to completion and cost about $1 billion.
[1] In November 2022, Samcrete, an Egyptian engineering and construction firm with operations across Africa and the Middle East, was awarded the contract to lead the project.
[4] Along the way, from west-to-east, it will pass through Sabotsy Namehana, Ambohimanga Rova, Talata Volonondry, Anjozorobe, and Andaingo en route to Toamasina.
[1] The new highway is expected to adversely affect farmers whose fields it will pass through,[1][8] and some civil society groups worry that the construction of the road will lead to the felling of virgin forest.
[7] One week after the launch of the construction project, Roland Ratsiraka, deputy for Toamasina and former minister of public works, accused the government authorities of corruption, pointing out that there had been no call for tenders for the project, nor environmental permit was issued and that no compensations were paid to expropriated landowners[11][12] Ratsiraka told journalists that the highway was a "deception" intended to release state funds from the Ministry of Finance and Budgets, and argued that operators carrying out road maintenance in recent years had not yet been paid.
[7] Government representatives insisted that the proper procurement procedures had been followed in securing the public contract, which had been decided following a "restricted" call for tenders.