Zambia to get transport infrastructure boost

9 December 2009

The Zambian government has signed a $23 million (£14.2 million) contract with Konoike, a Japanese company, to improve and maintain roads in Ndola and Kitwe.

Administered through Japanese grant aid, the project will take up to two years to complete after starting in mid January of 2010, it was reported.

Speaking at the Zambian Embassy in Tokyo, the third press secretary Ireen Mulenga read out the 12.73km of roads to be worked on.

Among those present at the signing ceremony was the director of housing and infrastructure development Peter Lubambo, as well as the senior engineer for urban roads Richard Kangwa.

In related transport news, Zambia's new one-stop border post it shares with neighbouring Zimbabwe - the first in sub-Saharan Africa - opened this weekend and was tipped to accelerate regional economic growth.

Helen Mealins, head of the department for international development for southern Africa, noted border delays were considered the number one constraint to trade in the area and seriously handicapped land-locked countries.

Category: Transport