This photo taken on Sept. 1, 2025 shows a section of the road from Odienne to Mali and Guinea in Kabadougou region, Denguele district of Cote d'Ivoire. In northern Cote d'Ivoire, a new two-lane highway hums with trucks while women balance baskets of mangoes and bananas, calling out to passing drivers along the roadside.

Built by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC), the 228-km road links Cote d'Ivoire with Mali and Guinea, cutting through the Kabadougou and Folon regions of Denguele District in a Y-shaped route reaching both neighbors. Since opening to traffic in March, it has resolved the long-standing problem of seasonal road blockages during the rainy season. (Xinhua/Zhang Jian)