The African Development Bank (AfDB) recently approved USD71.8m grant and USD3.1m loan to the Government of Mozambique to improve road connectivity with Tanzania.
The road segment Mueda – Negomano in Northern Mozambique represents a missing link on the transport corridor between Mozambique and Tanzania.
AfDB will finance the paving of the road for phase I, which includes the construction of an asphalted 70km road section which starts at Negomano, located adjacent to the Ruvuma River, the natural frontier with Tanzania.
The section ends in the locality of Roma. The improvement of the road will reduce from three to one hour the time to travel between the two localities.
That first phase will be complemented by a second one, planned to start in 2019, which will connect Roma to Mueda and includes the construction of a one stop border post.
“The project is key for traders and road users, who transport goods between Tanzania and Mozambique. Following the completion, they will benefit from more direct and shorter journeys to the ports of Pemba in Mozambique and Mtwara in Tanzania, effectively enhancing regional trade” said AfDB Chief Transport Engineer, Aymen Osmannn Wednesday 7 Ali.
The new road will extend the paved road recently built in the Tanzanian side, financed by an AfDB project approved in 2012.
The project included the upgrading of the Dodoma-Babati road (188km) in central Tanzania and the Tunduru-Mangaka-Mtambaswala road (204km)in southern Tanzania, near the border with Mozambique.
