Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo are constructing a 130-meter bridge with an estimated cost of approximately 24 billion Burundian Francs that will connect Burundi and DRC in Cibitoke province.
The bridge’s reconstruction began on October 2, 2023 for a period of 13 months and 15 days, is currently financed by the World, once completed it is expected to facilitate the free movement of goods and people between the two partner states.
“The work is progressing but with a delay due to long negotiations linked to the planned budget which was currently lower than the market budget. The execution rate is 15% with 32% of time consumed,” said Burundi minister of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock Prosper Dodiko.
“There is need for a temporary bridge which will facilitate workers and engineers in fixing the final construction of the bridge,” said Dieudonné Dukundane the Burundi minister of Infrastructure, Equipment and Social Housing.
Mr. Dukundane indicated that there is need for the facilitation of workers and engineers in fixing the final works and the construction of customs services across the two borders.
According to the Burundian government the construction work will iclude the development of a 3.5km part of the road connecting the bridge to the RN5 (Bujumbura-Cibitoke) on the Burundian side and another 11km on the DRC side.