ZAMBIA: EU gives $90.8 million for Zambian roads

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

JOHANNESBURG, 14 Feb 2005 (IRIN) - The European Union (EU) has given Zambia a grant of about US $90.8 million to help refurbish its road network, an official told IRIN.

"The funds will go towards the second phase of the Road Sector Investment Programme (ROADSIP II)," said EU spokesman Wilcliff Sakala.

The second phase of the 10-year US $1.6 billion programme to maintain and rehabilitate Zambia's road network was launched by the government last year. ROADSIP's first phase was launched in 1998 and ran until 2003, at a cost of $520 million. The first phase helped to return at least 60 percent of Zambia's roads to good condition and achieve maintainable levels of usefulness.

The EU funding will go towards two components of the programme: maintaining existing highways and districts roads; and providing roads in predominantly agricultural rural areas, according to Sakala.

"The emphasis is on developing roads for the economic upliftment of the rural areas by helping farmers access markets for their produce and agricultural inputs," he noted.

The Road Development Agency, the Road Transport and Safety Agency and the National Road Fund Agency will oversee the rehabilitation programme, which includes the upgrading of some existing dirt roads.

Zambia has 8,500 km of gravel road, 21,680 km of dirt road and about 30,000 km of community road networks, comprising tracks, trails and footpaths.

[ENDS]