Both Congolese govts sign deal at Africa Investment Forum to speed up road-rail bridge project

An interstate agreement has been signed between the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed at the ongoing Africa Investment Forum 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The objective of this agreement is to speed up the construction of the bridge linking their capitals, Brazzaville and Kinshasa.

The agreement signed by the two Congo, in the presence of their main partners, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the African Development Bank and Africa50, establishes the principles of cooperation for the development, construction, Operationalization and maintenance of the bridge. Once ratified, this interstate agreement will serve as an operational framework for the use of tenders, the search for strategic technical partners and the mobilization of funding.

In her address, Mrs. Elysée Munembwe Tamukumwe, Deputy Prime Minister of Planning of the Democratic Republic of Congo recalled the economic stakes of this signature, evoking the infrastructure projects that will result at the regional and pan-African level. "This bridge is an essential transport link for the realization of the trans-African which will include several corridors, from Tripoli to Windhoek to Cape Town. We are happy to cooperate with the Republic of Congo, our sister country, and all the other partners on this historic project which materializes the will of ECCAS heads of state to strengthen regional integration."

The two Congolese governments have mandated Africa50 on the development of the project alongside the African Development Bank, which will provide the financing (debt), under the aegis of ECCAS. As lead developer, Africa50 will help structure the project in the form of a Public Private Partnership (PPP), lead the project preparation and development phase and invest equity for construction.

The fact of establishing a direct connection between Kinshasa and Brazzaville will increase the current traffic, estimated at 750 000 people and 340 000 tonnes of freight per year, to more than 4 million people and more than 3 million tonnes of freight. by 2025. In addition, the positive impact of the project will extend well beyond the two cities, creating an essential link for the development of East-West and North-South transport corridors in Africa.

"This bridge is an appropriate contribution from Central Africa and especially from the two Congos to the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area. We are very excited to sign this agreement, which essentially sets the legal framework for implementing the road-rail bridge project and we note the professionalism of the strategic partners who manage its structuring to achieve a consensual model of management," said Jean Jacques Bouya, Minister of Planning, equipment of the territory, major works of the Republic of Congo .

"The two Congo Bridge project will finally establish a direct physical link between Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the two capitals closest to the world. Such transport projects took on a new significance with the signing last April of the agreement on the African Continental Free Trade Area. The proposed 90% tariff cuts on goods will have little effect if these goods can not cross borders quickly,” the president of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina said.