Stretching like a ribbon of black silk across the vast red earth of northern Côte d'Ivoire, a two-lane highway now links the region's major districts and forms a vital corridor connecting Côte d'Ivoire with Mali and Guinea.

Built by CHEC, the 228-kilometer highway officially opened to traffic in March this year. Locals affectionately call it the road of happiness. Its completion has ended years of transport disruptions during the rainy season. The journey from Odienne to the Malian border has been cut from 4.5 hours to just 1.5 hours, and the trip to the Guinean border from 3 hours to 1 hour—greatly improving transport efficiency.

The enhanced connectivity has directly boosted the local economy. Crops such as cashews, cotton, and mangoes are now easily transported for export. During construction, the project created more than 2,000 local jobs and trained a team of skilled engineers and technicians.

For 48-year-old trader Yacouba Kone, who deals in cashews and cement, the transformation has been life-changing. "Now trucks come and go freely, logistics are smooth," he said. "This road built is a life-changing project for our people."