The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved of aid up to USD 170 million for road improvements along a transport corridor in western Mongolia that will help reduce the region's isolation and spur development in one of the country's poorest areas.

“The remote western region of Mongolia suffers from high levels of poverty and underdevelopment, partly as a result of the lack of paved roads,” said Steven Lewis-Workman, the transport economic in ADB's East Asia Department. “Building paved roads in an area where there are very few will bring broad social and economic benefits, including increased access to jobs and markets both within Mongolian and with neighboring countries.

The funds for the Western Regional Road Corridor Investment Program will be released through a multi-tranche financing facility, with an agreed first loan payment of 45 million. The program will construct over 290 kilometers of regional roads, rehabilitate and construct some connecting local roads, build and equip three road maintenance units, and provide training and other capacity development support for road sector institutions.

The investment, which complements another ongoing road project in the corridor, will help complete the Western Regional Road. The route, which links Mongolia to both Russia and China is one of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) program's priorities corridors, designed to boost trade, tourism and investment among member countries and beyond. The new program will target increased input from domestic contractors and help build the capacity of Mongolia's road sector.

The first tranche loan, with a 32-year tenor, will come from ADB's concessional Asian Development Fund, with two further tranches to follow. The government will contribute USD 92 million for a total investment cost of USD 262 million. The program will run for eight years with an expected completion date of December 2020.