WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank on Thursday approved an additional credit of 40 million U.S. dollars to strengthen Benin's urban infrastructure so that more people can have access to paved roads and receive protection from periodic flooding.

    The fresh credit was passed by the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors to further support the activities of the Second Decentralized City Management Project (PGUD-2) in Benin.

    The PGUD-2 was launched on March 8, 2006 and is expected to close on Dec. 31, 2010, with an initial financing of 35 million dollars, mainly to facilitate access of citizens in the main cities and some secondary cities to infrastructure and basic services and help build the capacity of technical and financial units in local administrations.

    The additional credit will be used for construction of 9.6 kilometers of roads and 10.8 kilometers of drainage works in Cotonou, Porto-Novo, and Parakouthe, three main cities of Benin.

    As a result, 106,000 people will be provided with access to roads and 76,000 people whose neighborhoods will no longer be prone to periodic flooding will be benefited.