An $850 million road project linking copper and cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and an East African port will substantially reduce travel distance by over 150 miles. The road project, initiated by Congo's president and Zambia's president, will include the construction of a crucial 345-meter bridge over the Luapula River, serving as a border between the two nations. The project will be executed by Mauritius-based GED Africa, backed by Hungarian construction firm Duna Aszfalt Zrt. Major construction is scheduled to start after the rainy season and is expected to take three years. The route will also feature one-stop border posts and tolling plazas, aiming to address congestion issues that have hindered the transportation of supplies to copper and cobalt operations in the region. The project's financing structure is set to comprise 70 percent debt and 30 percent equity from the company itself, with discussions underway with the Trade and Development Bank and the African Finance Corp regarding funding.
The road project is set to improve connectivity and reduce travel times, facilitating the movement of goods from Lubumbashi in Congo to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam. It also aligns with the growing demand for minerals as part of the green energy transition, underlining the importance of modernizing road infrastructure to support increased production volumes.