The project is a joint venture project between Konoike Construction Co., Ltd., and P.S. Mitsubishi Construction Co., Ltd. The project itself was planned to start in 2020 but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it started in 2021 and is scheduled to be finished in 2024. We are constructing a viaduct (a bridge on top of an existing road) at a crowded intersection around 5km from Plateau (Abidjan’s central business district).

Abidjan, with a population around 6 million, is the economic capital and the biggest city in Cote d’Ivoire. As one of the liveliest cities in all of West Africa the people here come from different backgrounds and ethnicities, many people from other West African countries come to Abidjan for the opportunities on offer. That kind of diversity can also be found in our project. Our staff come from many countries, such as Japan, Cote d’Ivoire, the Philippines, Togo, Ghana, and me from Indonesia.

As one of the engineers in the project, my job is to make sure everything goes according to plan. Organizing a team with different nationalities and languages is a challenge at the site. We have to reach a common understanding before we execute our plans safely for everyone. Therefore, good communication between the engineers, supervisors, local staff, and even machine operators is important.

Abidjan is a rapidly developing city, so we can find standard entertainment areas in the city such as bars and nightclubs, and various restaurants. On Saturday nights, after we finish work, I often join the Filipino community to have a chat, barbeque, and drinks, or just get some rest from our daily activity. I usually spend my Sundays at our accommodation playing video games, learning Japanese and French online, also cooking. But of course, when you get a chance to work outside your place of origin, you must travel the country. On some occasions I travel around Cote d’Ivoire to see the beaches, buildings, and other attractions in the country.

One of the highlights of Cote d’Ivoire is the city of Yamoussoukro. Yamoussoukro is the administrative capital city, about 240km from Abidjan. There is a church called The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, widely considered the biggest church in the world. Ordered by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the first president of the country, construction started in 1985 and it was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1990.