The first phase of the rehabilitation of National Road Number 1 (EN1) will begin in May 2024, covering a first section of 580 kilometres, announced the President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi.
Nyusi made the announcement after inaugurating the first 70 kilometres of the new road, under construction, which will connect Cabo Delgado province, northern Mozambique, and Tanzania, a neighbouring country.
“Following the rules of procedure of the financier, in this case the World Bank, the rehabilitation works of this important road, in its first phase, will start in May next year,” said the head of state.
The work will start on the sections between Inchope-Gorongosa-Caia, Chimuara-Nicoadala and Metoro-Pemba, a total length of about 580 kilometres, he added.
“We are aware of the concerns that arise around the situation of National Road Number 1,” emphasised Filipe Nyusi.
Also in the context of the rehabilitation of the infrastructure, he continued, resources have already been secured for the construction of a new bridge over the Licungo River, in the district of Mocuba, central Mozambique, with about 1,000 metres, and an access road, with about 20 kilometres.
The head of state pointed out that, while ENI’s works do not begin, emergency interventions are being carried out to ensure the passability of the road.
The works consist of plugging holes and resealing, on the most critical routes.
Referring to the situation of the access roads degraded by lack of maintenance, due to the war in Cabo Delgado Province, the Head of State said that the Government is in negotiations with international partners to finance the rehabilitation works in the sections that have become impassable.
Last March, the Mozambican executive announced the start of the first phase of the EN1 rehabilitation works this year, with funding of 375 million euros from the World Bank.
The total length of the EN1 that needs to be rehabilitated is 1,053 kilometres of the approximately 2,600 kilometres of the road and, for this purpose, the World Bank indicated in August the availability of 850 million dollars (797 million euros), with almost half of the envelope going to the first phase.
O.Económico
