The Africa Development Bank (AfDB) has pledged to work closely with the governments of Botswana and Zambia to accelerate the construction of Kazungula Bridge in Southern Province.
About US$259 million is required to build Kazungula Bridge and there is a financial gap of $60 million. AfDB president Donald Kaberuka said his bank would accelerate financing the bridge because the project was important to the two countries and to Africa in general.
Four Southern African countries, namely, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Nambia meet at the proposed Kazungula Bridge along the Zambezi River, making the location unique in Africa.
Dr Kaberuka said Kazungula Bridge would be Africa’s most important project in promoting economic integration. “Four countries meet here at the Kazungula border and all this traffic goes beyond the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.”
“The bridge will facilitate the transit of goods across Africa and we are going to accelerate the procedures.” He said the absence of a bridge was an enormous cost to the economies of the region.
Dr Kaberuka said the AfDB was prepared to work closely with the two governments to fill the $60 million financial gap.
By Brian Hatyoka
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