WASHINGTON, April 7, 2011 - The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit of US$ 41 million equivalent in additional financing to support the implementation of the Government’s Roads and Bridges Management and Maintenance Program. The IDA credit supplements the initial IDA funding of US$100 million which covered the period 2007-11.
This second phase of the project is supporting improved access of the population to all-season roads through maintenance, rehabilitation and upgrading of the classified road network. The project is assisting the Government in improving the coverage and conditions of its roads and bridges; strengthening Government institutional capacity to manage the road sector; establishing sustainable financing mechanisms for road maintenance; promoting the use of local resources in roads construction and management; and improving road safety.
The project is composed of three components: (i) support the project implementing entity and National Road Administration (ANE), at the national and provincial levels, to enable them to effectively carry out the project through the provision of technical assistance and consulting services; (ii) support the maintenance of the road network; and (iii) support engineering services and investments to rehabilitate and upgrade national roads.
“Mozambique's classified road network consists of 29,349 kilometers of roads, of which 5,814 kilometers (or just under 20 percent) are paved. This project has been supporting the implementation of the Government’s own road strategy by helping to close the financing gap which previously had delayed the needed expansion and maintenance of the road network. It is essential to improve efficiency in the management and maintenance of the road network because failing to do so will increase future rehabilitation and upgrading costs,” said Mr. Young Kim, acting Country Manager for Mozambique.
This project is consistent with the priorities set forth in the Government of Mozambique’s Action Plan for Poverty Reduction, PARPA 2; the World Bank Country Partnership Strategy; as well as the newly approved World Bank Africa Regional Strategy which supports greater investments in infrastructure to spur broad-based and sustainable growth in the continent.
