Zambia Receives US$50 million for Road Rehabilitation and Maintenance

Washington,  March 11, 2004 – The World Bank’s Board of Directors approved on March 9, an IDA Credit of US$50 million* to assist the Government of Zambia to restore and expand the country’s road network.

The Road Rehabilitation and Maintenance credit will help develop and maintain institutional capacity for the efficient, equitable and financially sustainable management of  public road infrastructure and safety. 

The proposed project will help preserve the public core road network and extend urban and rural transport infrastructure and services for increased accessibility.  It will also focus on routine and periodic maintenance, and rehabilitation of roads and bridges as defined under the road priority program.

“Both commercial and social road users will benefit from improved road conditions and the introduction of a more sustainable approach to maintenance of the core road network including primary, secondary and tertiary roads” said Petrus Benjamin Gericke, World Bank Task Team Leader for the project.

Activities under the project will strengthen the management capacity of the road sector and improve efficiency of the sector institutions in the areas of financial and contract management.

* The credit is on standard International Development Association (IDA) terms, with a commitment fee of 0.5%, a service charge of 0.75%, and a maturity of 40 years, including a 10-year period of grace.

For more information on the World Bank’s work in Zambia visit: www.worldbank.org/afr/zm/