A high-level Zambian delegation is in Johannesburg to conclude bilateral negotiations and technical meetings regarding the Kasomeno-Mwenda Road between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Zambian delegation is being led by Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development, Ronald Chitotel, the Lusaka Times reported on Friday.

The project, which is a public, private-partnership enterprise, will serve a dual purpose, firstly to formally present the findings of feasibility studies and secondly, to finalise the MOU/Bilateral agreement presented in the DRC capital Kinshasa on October 29.

The Zambian cabinet approved the project in 2015 stating the road would benefit traffic and open a trade route.

Congo’s infrastructure minister, Baikpon Pon, said his country fully supported opening up its borders to neighbouring countries as part of the Southern Africa Development Community’s (SADC) goal of promoting trade between countries in the region.

Once the road is completed a new trade corridor will be opened between Zambia’s Nakonde border post and the DRC, cutting the previous distance between the two points by approximately 400km.

A new bridge will also be built across the Luapula river at Kashiba with the Zambians completing the lion’s share of this stretch  through the Link-Zambia 8000 project which includes the Nakonde-Mbala-Kasama stretch and the Kasama-Luwingu-Mansa road. -  African News Agency (ANA)