Africa beginning major road-building spree

17 January 2014

Transport News

Africa is currently embarking on a major investment in its road network, with Chinese organisations, particularly those in the mining industry, providing much of the investment.

Alongside this, a significant project to upgrade the highway network in Africa is underway, as well as the construction of smaller connecting roads across the continent.

The move will seek to rectify the sparse nature of road networks in Africa. A report recently published by the World Bank indicated that average road density on the continent is 204 kilometres of road per 1,000 square kilometres of land area, with only a quarter of this paved.

This figure is well below the world average of 944 kilometres per 1,000 square kilometres with more than half paved.

The African Union is looking to encourage and embrace transportation projects that will connect the nations of Africa in the coming years, before expanding other transport networks to link the continent with its global trading partners.

One such project is the construction of a toll road between Entebbe and Kampala, and the Kenya-Tanzania highway, which will help to build trade.

Original article by Sarah Bailey

Category: Transport