Title : Integrating governance and climate risk in sustainable road infrastructure development in West Africa
Abstract:
Road infrastructure projects in West Africa face a combination of institutional, technical, and environmental risks whose impacts are intensified by increasing climate variability. This paper examines how governance, risk management, and institutional capacity influence the environmental performance and sustainability of road projects in Senegal and The Gambia. Using a mixed-methods approach combining surveys, interviews, and documentary analysis conducted over a five-year period, the study demonstrates that institutional weaknesses, administrative fragmentation, lack of regulatory frameworks, payment delays, and limited digitalization represent major constraints to climate adaptation and infrastructure resilience.
The findings show that environmental risks, including flooding, soil instability, and extreme weather events, strongly interact with these institutional deficiencies, exacerbating project delays, cost overruns, and infrastructure degradation. The study proposes an integrated risk management framework that combines strengthened governance, digitalized monitoring systems, risk-based budgeting, and the adoption of international standards such as ISO 31000. This integrated approach provides a strategic pathway for enhancing the environmental resilience of road infrastructure, improving project performance, and supporting sustainability objectives in regions facing increasing climate pressures.
Keywords: Environmental risk management; Infrastructure sustainability; Institutional governance; Road infrastructure projects; Climate resilience; Digitalization.
